


Bonded

by Kaiju_Memes



Category: Godzilla (2014), Godzilla - All Media Types, Godzilla: King of The Monsters (2019)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cara is completely oblivious, Cryptozoology, Every Titan has a Bonded, F/F, Gen, Ghidorah is an asshole, Godzilla/Mothra friendship, Kaiju, Madison has the big gay for Cara, Mothra is the best mom, Project Monarch, Rodan deserves happiness, Rodan hates Ghidorah with his entire being, Tags May Change, Titans, monsterverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 07:23:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 55,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19313389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiju_Memes/pseuds/Kaiju_Memes
Summary: There are legends passed down through history. Legends telling of the New Gods, the Titans, and the human beings that were psychically linked to them. How monster and human shared souls, how they were connected in ways like no other.Cara Walker read these legends. Never in a million years did she ever think she’d end up being one of these incredible people. Never did she think the stories were true.





	1. Awakening

 The outside world was calling to her. She could feel it, deep within her bones. The light outside the darkness shone through the woven silk in bright rays, making her squint slightly. She longed to bask herself in its warmth, to feel its heat on her skin. She reached out, scratching at the walls. They bent, but did not break.

 

  Voices from the outside spoke. Distinctly human, and yet not the human speech she was used to hearing. “Are you sure it’s time? Now? Today?”

  
  “Yes. The readings are going off the charts. It’s vitals and heartbeat are increasing dramatically.”

  
  “Dr. Russell said it wasn’t due to hatch for another week.”

  
  “Well, it looks like our monster is deciding to hatch early.”

  
_Monster_. The word made her bristle. She was not a monster. Far from it. She was a savior, a healer, a protector. Monsters were destroyers. She did not destroy.

  
  The light grew more intense. _Come out, come out_ , it sang. _Come out_ now. She pushed against the darkness, squirming and struggling and straining. The human voices grew quiet.

  
  She did not know why she had to come out right at this moment. The voices were right; she was supposed to rest for a few more days. But something had pulled her out of the blissful sleep she had been encapsulated in, and she already knew it was not because of the humans watching her. Something else...something dark. Something horrifying. Something she had witnessed before, a long, long time ago.

  
_A burst of violence, of bloody limbs and tattered bodies. Fire and lightning eating away at the sky. Dark swirling clouds shielding the danger from view._

 

  “Something’s wrong.” One of the voices resumed. “It’s heartbeat is going crazy.”

 

  “Isn’t that normal?” the other asked.

  
  “No. It’s showing signs of fear.”

  
  Fear. She knew what that meant. All too many times she had felt it. Not for herself, but for the others. For the one she loved.

  
  The one she loved.

  
  Her other half.

  
  That was the reason. Her other half was in danger. They all were in danger. But mainly the other part of herself.

  
_Tattered wings struggling against the fury of the victor. Green blood splashed with red. A human girl, her gray eyes wide with terror, mouth open screaming. The flash of teeth and claws._

  
_“_ This isn’t good.” The humans outside were getting increasingly worried. “If it hatches in this state, it could destroy the entire facility. We need to put it back to sleep.”

  
  “But Dr. Russell said to let it come out naturally and not to interfere.”

  
  “Forget that. If we don’t interfere we might all end up dead. I’m applying emergency ice controls.”

  
  She brought her front legs down on the wall of silk in front of her, slicing them easily. Light filtered through the slits, and she knew the outside world was hers to return to. No human would put her back to sleep. She could not remain hidden for another week. The world was in peril of being overcome by an ancient evil. And if she did not find her other half soon, they would perish, and she would never forgive herself for not being there to protect the one she cared for most.

  
_Salty tears dripping onto her mangled fur. Silent sobs calling out her name as her eyes closed and she slipped into the quietness of death._

 

_There was an egg._

 

_There always was an egg._

 

_She would be back. To save. To heal. To protect._

 

  It was time for her to wake up.


	2. Departure

_Two weeks later..._

 

  Standing on lines were not experiences Cara was particularly fond of.

 

  She drummed her fingers against her thigh impatiently as she watched the always entertaining show that was called the airport. People traveling for business with their suitcase in one hand and a briefcase in the other. Families with young children who were weighted down with luggage, loud and crowding. Packs of tourists cluttering together, many talking in a foreign language. The airport was like a mini Manhattan; people came and went, in their own little worlds, going places and never stopping. It made her feel exhausted.

 

  Too bad she was stuck on a school trip. She could have been asleep right now.

 

  “Come on, Cara, you at least have to be a _little_ excited.” The boy next to her was exasperated, his sandy blonde hair falling over his wide-rimmed owl glasses. “We’re going to _China_ , for fuck’s sake! How cool is that?”

 

  “It’s very cool, Noah, but I rather not have my spring vacation ruined by a shitty trip run by the school.” Cara looked up at her best friend. She had known him since they were both in kindergarten: Noah Trent, Augusta, Maine’s local trashmouth and class clown. They were always with each other, two sides of the same coin, and to find them separated was unthinkable.

 

  The only reason she had agreed to go on this trip was because he had begged her to.

 

  “The school trips are alright.” Another boy jumped into their conversation, looking up from the book he had been reading. “They’re not horrible.”

 

  “Sorry, Eddie, but I have to shoot you down on this one,” Cara said. “The school trips are absolute garbage. We pay all this money, and for what? A three day trip to the middle of nowhere in China.”

 

  “There’s a lot to see in China,” Eddie said.

 

  “Yeah, But we’re not seeing _any_ of it.” Cara threw her hands up into the air. “The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, freaking Shanghai _Disney World_! There’s so much to see and do! And where are we going? To the _Yunnan province_. What’s in the Yunnan province?”

 

  “There’s a cool rainforest.” Eddie swiped his chocolate brown hair out of his eyes and looked at his open book. It was titled ‘Marvels of China.’ “There’s supposed to be ancient temples of a lost civilization. We’ll be able to check them out.”

 

  “Yeah, I guess that’s cool.” Cara enjoyed adventure. The idea of exploring long-lost ruins and perhaps finding something incredible within made her heart quicken with excitement. She loved stories where the unordinary existed, where monsters and creatures of fantasy roamed the earth.

 

  She knew it was all just fiction, though. Cara wasn’t planning to find anything cool in the Yunnan province. Maybe some nice souvenirs for her family, but that was really it. And she definitely wasn’t betting on encountering a creature like Godzilla in an old temple.

 

  “Yeah, if Mr. Vesey lets us leave the hotel.” Noah jabbed his thumb at the portly man who was walking slowly down the line of kids, checking off their names on a clipboard. “We so much as sneeze and we’re suspended from exploring for the entire trip.”

 

  “Mr. Vesey has a lot of things to worry about,” Eddie said, coming to the teacher’s defense. He had always been like this; ever since he had moved to Augusta five years ago, Cara had known him to be a ‘teacher’s pet,’ in a way. Never had she seen him disrespect a teacher, or disrespect anyone in general. It was quite odd that the three of them were such good friends, since Noah was the exact opposite of Eddie and Cara was somewhere in between both.

 

  “Eddie’s right,” she agreed. “Mr. Vesey has to keep track of twenty kids for three days in a foreign country. This has got to be really stressful for him.”

 

  “First of all, there are two other teachers on the trip,” Noah pointed out. “He doesn’t have to watch us all by himself. Second, come on, Cara, you know the dude’s a wackjob! He’s always breathing down our necks! It’s like he’s waiting for one of us to make a mistake so he can get us expelled.”

 

  “Mr. Trent.” Mr. Vesey had gotten up to them, causing the three teenagers to go still. “I hope you are not causing trouble for the rest of the kids, already.”

 

  Noah froze, his eyes widening as he put on an innocent smile. “No, Mr. Vesey, of course not! We’re just talking about the marvels of China, that’s all! See, Eddie has a book!”

 

  Mr. Vesey’s eyes wandered to Eddie’s reading material. “Uh huh,” he said, unconvinced. He looked down at his clipboard and marked them as present. “I will not hesitate to call your parents and have them pick you up, Mr. Trent. Do not try me.”

 

  “No, Mr. Vesey, I would _never_ do that!” Noah batted his eyelashes. “I’m totally well behaved, I _swear_!”

 

  Mr. Vesey grumbled under his breath and lumbered away.

 

  Cara has to stifle her laughing. “Nice going, jerk. Now he’s never going to leave us alone.”

 

  “He already stalks us enough as it is.” Noah shrugged. “It’s not like it can get any worse.”

 

  “You are an idiot.” Eddie looked horrified. “You could get into so much trouble for acting like that! What would your parents say?”

 

  “My parents would probably say that I did a good job,” Noah answered. “Believe me, I’m not the only one who thinks Vesey is a total dickhead.”

 

  Eddie shook his head and returned to reading his book. “Your unbelievable,” he muttered.

 

  A loud voice from the airport intercom made them go silent. “Flight 1961 is now boarding. I repeat, Flight 1961 to Tengchong, China is now boarding. Please make sure you have all of your belongings before you board the plane.”

 

  “This is it!” Noah said gleefully. “The moment we’ve all been waiting for! You ready, Cara?”

 

  “Yeah, I guess.” She had to admit, now that they were actually getting onto the plane, she was starting to get a little excited. She took hold of her suitcase’s handle and followed the kid in front of her. “Don’t expect anything to wow you when we land, though. There’s nothing incredible where we’re going.”

 

  As the line of kids began to shuffle slowly forward, and the students’ boarding passes and passports were checked, Cara began to wonder if what she had just said was true. Was there anything worth seeing in the Yunnan province? Would she actually find something incredible, or would these ancient ruins just be what they always turned out as in reality: old abandoned temples covered in moss?

 

  Something deep inside her told her that she had never been more wrong about a destination. And who knew? With the knowledge that monsters such as Godzilla existed, anything today seemed possible.

 

 

 


	3. Memories

  The plane ride to China was 18 hours long, but to Cara it felt like 18 years. For the first half of the flight, she attempted to fall asleep, but when that proved to be impossible, she just decided to watch the world go by from the window. Fluffy white clouds passed by the airplane with lazy idleness, their spires tipped with the golden glow of the sunset. She sighed; it was so peaceful up here. She had always wanted to fly, to feel the wind against her cheeks and the adrenaline of swooping through the clear blue sky. When she was a little girl, and her grandmother had still been alive, she would go over to her house for family parties and hide herself away in the large study that had belonged to her grandfather. She would read the books that were stacked neatly on the long bookshelf, lose herself in a world where creatures as tall as skyscrapers lived with humans in harmony within a society where nothing went wrong. Creatures like Godzilla, who, despite all the odds of science against him, turned out to be real, the humongous dragon-like reptile that had killed two other monsters to save the city of San Francisco five years ago shattering the idea of what exactly was seen as ‘nothing more than a legend.’

 

  As she continued to watch the scenery and think about her grandmother, her eyelids began to grow heavy. Cara allowed her head to rest against the wall of the plane, closed her eyes, and finally found the sleep she was looking for.

 

_———————_

_She was sitting in a big plush office chair, eyes squeezed shut as she bit her lower lip with restrained glee. It was taking all of her strength not to peek them open, to keep the fit of giggles in her throat._

 

_“Can I open, now?” she asked. “Please, please, pleeeease?”_

 

_Her grandmother laughed. “Not yet. I’m still getting them ready.” There was a tired puff in her voice, a small wheeze that was hidden so Cara wouldn’t notice. “Alright, my little falena. Open your eyes.”_

 

_Cara gladly obeyed, clapping her hands joyfully at the sight of the three presents placed on the desk in front of her. She immediately tore into one, flinging the orange and blue wrapping paper to the side. The paper ripped away to reveal a large, rather old looking book._

 

_Cara gasped with delight. “One of Grandpa’s books!” she cried. “Grandma, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!”_

 

_Her grandmother smiled. “He would have wanted you to have them,” she said. “Your grandfather and I have always loved that you read and don’t spend all your time playing videogames like your brother. I thought it would only be appropriate to give you the three books that you enjoy the most.”_

 

_Cara ran a hand over the cover. It met her touch with welcome familiarity, the faded leather soft to the touch. She opened it, as she had done so many times, grinning fondly down at the first few words that she could practically recite from memory. The book was made up of many short stories all centered around one overall plot: that the Greek Gods were fighting a group of powerful new immortals that had risen up from the Earth, locked in a terrible war for dominance over the planet. She had always rooted for the New Gods, mainly because they were seen as the side of good and were the allies of the humans. The Greek Gods were displayed as cruel and merciless, summoning countless monsters from space to destroy the New Gods and their inferior human friends. She didn’t care how many times she read it; it always gave her a sense of relief and triumph when the last story ended with the Greek Gods being defeated and Earth being freed from their clutches._

 

_“The other two are your second and third favorites.” Her grandmother’s hand-delicate and fine like the foot of a bird, so thin that Cara could see every bone- reached out and rested on the toddler’s shoulder. “Treasure them forever. They are a way to remember me when I am not here anymore.”_

 

_“Not here?” Cara looked up, all thoughts on the books forgotten. “What do you mean? Where are you going?”_

 

_Her grandmother smiled sadly-Cara noticed how frail and wrinkled her face was, how tired and sunken her eyes appeared to be. “I’m going to see Grandpa,” she said. “He’s-He’s been calling me, everyday, asking me to come visit him.”_

 

_“Oh.” Cara pondered these words for a moment, then looked back up, brows knitted. “When will you be back? Can I come?”_

 

_“No, my falena, you can’t. Not this time. Maybe sometime else.” Her grandmother’s smile disappeared and was replaced by a frown. “Cara, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you. I will always be with you, and I will never be far away from your heart. Because the love shared between two people is like the Gods-it is forever.”_

 

_Cara, trapped in childhood ignorance, unable to understand the true meaning behind these impactful words, put down the book and gave her a hug. “I know, Grandma. I love you, too. I’ll write letters to you everyday, and I’ll call you, too. And you and Grandpa will come over for Christmas and Thanksgiving, and you can tell me how Florida is and what traveling the world is like.”_

 

_“Yes, yes I will. I’ll read every one of your letters, and answer every one of your calls.”_

 

_“Promise?” Cara asked._

 

_“Promise,” her grandmother replied._

 

_She was reassured by this, convinced that everything was going to be alright. Cara returned to opening the other two presents, squealing with delight at the sight of the unwrapped books._

 

_She never noticed the tears dripping down from her grandmother’s eyes as she looked on._

                  ———————-

  “Cara.”

 

  “Hey, Cara.”

 

  “Cara, wake up!”

 

  Cara yelped when she felt someone tap her forehead, shooting forward out of her sleep. Noah stared at her, an amused smile gracing his lips.

 

  “You awake yet, sleeping beauty?” he asked. “Had a nice power nap?”

 

  “Har, har.” Cara shot him an unamused scowl, fixing her disheveled hair. “Very funny. Next time I fall asleep why don’t you just dump a bottle of water over my head instead of knocking my skull open?”

 

  “Hey, not a bad idea.” Noah rubbed his chin. “Hmmmm, a good plan. Maybe if I can catch Eddie at the right moment…”

 

  “I can hear you, you know,” Eddie said, leaning forward to glare at Noah.

 

  “Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that we’re here.” Noah pointed to the window. “We’re preparing to land.”

 

  Cara looked out into the night, watching the glittering lights of the city below twinkle like thousands of stars. “I slept through the whole flight?”

 

  “Yup.” Noah nodded. “You must have been pretty tired. You were, like, totally conked out.”

 

  Cara rubbed her head. “I think I actually managed to get in a solid eight hours of sleep. Wow. What an accomplishment.”

 

  “I know, right? If Mr. Vesey knew you were a well rested high school student that wasn’t running on barely two hours of sleep, he’d totally suspend you for the rest of the year.” Noah looked at her, and saw the streams of water running down her cheeks. “Hey, are you alright?”

 

  “Hm? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Why are you asking?”

 

  Noah looked concerned. “Your crying,” he said. “Did you have a nightmare?”

 

  “What? Oh-Oh, no, no, I didn’t have a nightmare.” Cara sniffed and wiped away the tears with her sleeve. “I-I’m good.”

 

  “Are you sure?” Noah asked.

 

  “Yup.” Cara looked back out the window, her bottom lip quivering slightly as more tears fell. “I’m fine. It-It was just a dream.”

 

 


	4. Welcome to Yunnan

  The departure from the airport was tedious. Cara continuously found herself being jostled along through large crowds, whether it was in the airport, or heading to the private bus that would shuttle them to their hotel. The city of Tengchong was a fascinating and overstimulating place, and it was difficult to focus on sticking with the group while taking in the sights and sounds of a completely new environment at the same time.

 

  They were staying at a quaint little hotel that was close to the rainforest they would be exploring. The twenty kids stood in the lobby, some half-asleep, some chattering with their friends. An exhausted Noah was leaning against Cara, who would have usually shoved him off of her if she hadn’t been so tired as well.

 

  Jet lag really freaking sucked.

 

  “Alright, everyone, listen up!” The kids went quiet at the sound of Mr. Vesey’s voice. “We’re going to give you your room keys. One of you is in charge of both keys. Who I call first will be the one in charge. No one is to leave their rooms after they settle in. Ms. Whitney, Mrs. Larson, and I will be taping your doors to assure none of you will sneak out.”

 

  “Taping the doors?” Noah mumbled. “That’s so not fun.”

 

  “It’s to keep us safe,” Eddie said.

 

  “What does he think we are, three year olds?” Noah still managed to find the energy to complain about Mr. Vesey, even when he was dead to the world. “Honestly, we’re mature enough to be trusted not to sneak around a hotel for two nights.”

 

  “The _rest_ of us are,” Eddie said. “ _Your_ not.”

 

  Noah grumbled something incomprehensible and dropped the subject when Mr. Vesey began to call out names.

 

  “Cara Walker, Noah Trent, Eddie Reynolds. You are room 238.” Mr. Vesey handed the two room keys to Cara and gave them stern glares. “I do not want a phone call from the manager involving your antics. Understand?”

 

  They nodded obediently. Mr. Vesey dismissed them, and they headed off to their room.

 

  “These hallways are like something out of _The Shining_ ,” Noah commented as they walked.

 

  “Tell me about it,” Eddie said. “It’s giving me the creeps.”

 

  “What are you two expecting from a Chinese motel? I mean, we’re not exactly staying at a five star resort, here.” Cara stopped at a room. “Here we are. Room 238.”

 

  It wasn’t as bad as she had been expecting. The room was neat, with two king sized beds that looked quite comfy. She set her suitcase down and took off her backpack. “Huh. This is actually quite nice.”

 

  Noah looked around and whistled. “Damn. This place is neat!”

 

  “Who’s bunking with who?” Eddie asked.

 

  “I’ll sleep with Noah,” Cara said. There was nothing weird about it; her and Noah were so close they might as well be brother and sister. “Unless you want to sleep by yourself, Noah.”

 

  “No dude, it’s fine.” Noah heaved his suitcase onto a chair. “Just don’t push me out of the bed.”

 

  “Only if you don’t snore in my face,” Cara said.

 

  “If you two do either I might throw myself off the balcony,” Eddie groaned.

 

  They laughed. Cara quickly got changed into shorts and a T-shirt, brushed her teeth and tied her hair back into a ponytail for bed. While Eddie and Noah fought for dominance over who got to use the toothpaste first, she went out onto the balcony and sat down, listening to the nightlife.

 

  Their room faced the rainforest, and she had to admit, it was one of the prettiest sights she had ever seen. The full moon bathed the trees in its silver rays, illuminating the tropical environment with a peaceful, mysterious glow. She idly wondered what kinds of animals lived there. Perhaps even a species that had never been discovered before.

 

  A soft noise suddenly rose up from the silence, wafting to her ears in a quiet hum. Cara perked up when she heard it, leaning forward out of her chair in a better attempt to hear the sound.

 

  It was a beautiful thing to listen to. Cara looked around through the darkness, squinting. It sounded like it was coming from the rainforest. Like it was deliberately calling out to her. She found herself wishing to find the source, to be drawn to whatever was producing it like it was a siren call, to find it and not stop until she succeeded in her goal.

 

  It sounded...like a song.

 

  “Cara? Where’d you go, man?”

 

  Cara jolted back into reality. “Oh-I’m out here!” she called.

 

  Eddie and Noah joined her on the balcony. Eddie breathed in deeply. “Wow,” he murmured. “It’s beautiful out here.”

 

  “Tell me about it.” Cara turned back to the rainforest. The sweet melody was still going on. “Do you guys hear that?”

 

  “Hear what?” Eddie asked.

 

  “That song. I think there’s someone singing down in the woods.”

 

  Noah cupped his hand behind his ear. “Nope. I don’t hear anything. Are you sure it’s a song?”

 

  “Yeah, I’m totally sure.” Cara was puzzled. “You seriously don’t hear that? It’s not that hard to miss.”

 

  They paused for a moment, before shaking their heads. “I think you may be imagining things.” Noah said.

 

  “Maybe it’s just some animal,” Eddie offered. “Lots of animals in rainforests are nocturnal.”

 

  “No, no this isn’t an animal,” Cara insisted. “This is someone human singing a real song. I can’t believe you guys don’t hear it.”

 

  “Come on, let’s go to bed.” Noah touched Cara’s shoulder. “We’re all really tired after that flight. I’m sure Eddie’s right on it being an animal.”

 

  Cara opened her mouth to protest, then closed it. She sighed and stood up. “Yeah, your right. Let’s go.”

 

  The two boys went back into the room. Cara went to follow, them stopped and stole a furtive glance over her shoulder. The song continued, silky and smooth.

 

  They were heading to the rainforest tomorrow. If the song continued, she would track down where it was coming from.

 

  For some reason, she felt she had heard this strange melody before.

 

                ————————-

  She was here.

 

  She could feel it. Her other half was not too far away. She had heard the singing. Everything was going to be alright.

 

  She wouldn’t come to her now. It was too late. Too dark. There were creatures within her jungle that did not take too kindly to trespassing humans. She had to be patient. She had to wait.

 

  Tomorrow. Tomorrow her other half would return to her, and they would be whole again. They would figure out how to expel the darkness together.

 

_Glistening gold scales. Searing vermillion eyes. The bringer of death, the titan of thunder. Beware the one who is many. Fear the Golden Demise._

 

  She opened her mouth and continued her song.

 

 


	5. Seeking out the Source

  That night, Cara dreamt of many strange things. Colors screamed and flashed through her mind, gold and brown wings streaking through dark clouds. She dreamt of monsters and lightning and two giant blue eyes peering down at her from a bright light. The song hummed in its soothing rhythm, filling her ears, swirling all around her in an endless loop. _Find me,_ the song whispered. _Find me. I’m here. I’m close. Find me. I am close. I’m here._

 

  When she woke up, she had a splitting headache. Sunlight stabbed into her eyeballs as she let out a groan. God, her head was throbbing like crazy. She felt like someone had thrown a brick right at the base of her neck.

 

  Well, now that she was up, there was probably no way she would be able to get back to sleep. Cara sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Noah and Eddie were still sound asleep. She slowly got out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom so she wouldn’t wake them up.

 

  What time was it? She closed the bathroom door and flicked on the light, looking at the clock. 9am. She still had an hour before they had to get up and meet the rest of the group in the lobby.

 

  She took a cold shower, then brushed her teeth and combed her hair. By the time 10:00 came around, she was dressed and ready to go.

 

  “Morning,” she said when her friends finally awoke. “Ready to head out for the day?”

 

  Noah stretched out his arms, grunting. “How long have you been up?” he said.

 

  “Since 9. Woke up early. Had some weird dreams.”

 

  “You’ve been having a lot of weird dreams, lately,” Noah commented. He picked up a pillow and threw it at Eddie. “Eddie, come on, get up!”

 

  Eddie yelled out a muffled string of curses aimed at him. He sat up, his hair sticking out at erratic places. “What the hell was that for?”

 

  “Mr. Vesey said we have to be down at the lobby by 11. If we’re late, we’re not going to the rainforest.” Cara pulled the shades back and looked out at the scenery. The song was gone; she hoped she would hear it later so she could track it down.

 

  Eddie got up and cracked his back. “Alright then,” he yawned. “Let’s get moving.”

 

  She waited as patiently as she could while they got ready for the day. She slung her backpack over her shoulder, mentally going through that she had everything she might need.

 

  Once they were all prepared, they left and headed down to the lobby. Everyone was already there; an excited buzz surrounded the students as they waited to go explore a whole new place.

 

  “Okay, everyone!” A young woman stepped up in front of the group-Ms. Whitney, Cara’s English teacher-and called for silence. “Here’s the day’s plan. You’ll each be given a lanyard that grants you access into the rainforest. It’s a private reserve, and a lot of it is still unexplored, so you’ll be some of the very few that are allowed inside. There are some basic rules: stay together in groups of three. Do not wander. Stay within the boundaries given and do not leave the designated area. You are all to be back at the hotel by 5:00. Me, Mr. Vesey, and Mrs. Larson will be checking to make sure you are all back on time. There will be military there to keep us safe, so please, do not do anything you’ll regret.” She put heavy emphasis on these last words, staring at Noah in particular. “Got it?”

 

  “Yes,” the students chorused. Ms. Whitney nodded approvingly, then shook her hands at them. “Go on now, shoo. Stay safe, and don’t forget to have fun!”

 

  Mrs. Larson and Mr. Vesey were waiting outside for them as they all filed out of the hotel. They were led down the street, and soon they were waiting in front of the entrance to the rainforest. Two guards with large guns eyed them emotionlessly as they walked in through the open gates.

 

  “Damn, those are some big guns,” Noah said. “Maybe we should take what the teachers said about behavior more seriously.”

 

  “You think?” Cara asked. She looked back for a brief moment. “Those guys look like they could snap us in half with their pinky fingers.”

 

  It wasn’t long before the trees towered over them and they arrived at the rainforest base camp. Buzzing, hisses, squawks, and other noises all added to the tropical ambience. The students looked around in utter awe.

 

  “Remember, kids, back at the hotel by 5:00 sharp!” Mr. Vesey turned to Cara, Noah, and Eddie, glowering. “I will be watching you three like hawks. One wrong move, and your back to the hotel before you can say sayonara.”

 

  “Mr. Vesey, sir,” Noah said. “That’s Japanese.”

 

  Mr. Vesey paused for a moment, his cheeks going pink with embarrassment, before clearing his throat and walking away.

 

  “ _That_ was so _rude_ ,” Eddie gawked.

 

  “ _That_ was so _worth it_ ,” Cara chuckled.

 

  “Eh, what can I say?” Noah looked rather proud of himself. “You got to admit it’s sort of creepy he’s following us around.” He suddenly gasped. “What if he’s a _spy_? For some weird government agency?”

 

  “Noah, that’s the stupidest idea I have ever heard,” Cara said.

 

  “I’ve come up with worse,” he said.

 

  They went down a path, one that seemed like it was less traveled than the others. Cara was fascinated by the rainforest. She had only ever saw pictures of them in her textbooks, and to be walking through one almost seemed unreal.

 

_“Cara…”_

 

  Cara stopped. She whirled to stare at a space of foliage.

 

  “Cara?” Eddie said. “Are you alright?”

 

  She didn’t answer. Her eyes were glued to the trees.

 

  The song.

 

  It was back.

 

_“Follow my voice. Follow my song.”_

 

  “What’s wrong?” Eddie and Noah had returned to her side. “Do you see something?”

 

_“Find me. See me. Hear me. Follow my voice.”_

 

  “I heard a voice,” she whispered.

 

  “You heard what?” Eddie echoed.

 

  “A voice.” She turned on her heel and marched down the path. “This way. There’s something down here.”

 

  “Cara, wait!” Her friends ran to catch up to her. She ignored them and continued to follow the voice, just as it had instructed.

 

_“Find me. Return to me. Come back. I miss you. Come back.”_

 

  She didn’t understand why she was doing this. From what she knew from basic movie knowledge, following a strange disembodied voice is exactly the opposite of what you should do. But this case was different…she was sure.

 

  Maybe her dream of finding something fantastic was going to come true, after all.

 

  “Why are we letting her chase after a spooky voice?” Noah was asking Eddie numerous questions. “And why can’t we hear said spooky voice?”

 

  “I don’t know, okay? I’m just as new to this as you are.” Eddie went to Cara’s side. “Cara, I think we should go back. We shouldn’t be going this deep into the forest. Mr. Vesey is going to kill us if he finds out.”

 

  “He won’t find out,” Cara said. “Just trust me on this, okay? There’s something going on, and-”

 

  They emerged from the path into a huge clearing that had a laboratory surrounding a giant temple.

 

  Cara gasped and shrank back, nearly toppling over Noah in the process. The three kids retreated deeper into the cover of the rainforest, fearing being seen.

 

  “What the hell?” Eddie whispered. “What is going on here?”

 

  Cara scanned the clearing. The laboratory was big, it’s white walls like an abnormal growth compared the ancient feel of the temple that it engulfed. Sleek and modern vehicles parked all around it. Large letters marked the entrance: Outpost 61.

 

  “Does the Chinese government know this is here?” Noah said.

 

  “I don’t think so.” Cara shook her head. “This doesn’t look like its government ran.” She started forward. “Let’s get a closer look.”

 

  Eddie grabbed her backpack and yanked her backwards. “Are you crazy?” he hissed. “You want to go sneaking around some secret lab in the middle of a rainforest? Do you know how much trouble we could get in?”

 

  “Only if we get caught,” Noah said, winking.

 

  Eddie stared at him in utter disbelief. “Seriously? _Seriously_? You want to do this, too? Noah, this isn’t like we’re breaking into Principal Brown’s office or the school faculty refrigerator! If we try to go in there, we could be _killed_!”

 

  “We won’t take long,” Cara said. “Just a few minutes. We’ll be back at the hotel at five, and no one will ever know we were here.”

 

  Eddie paced back and forth, pulling at his hair. “This is crazy, this is crazy, this is completely, utterly crazy! There is no way I’m doing this, no way!”

 

  When he looked up Cara and Noah were already halfway into the clearing. He ran after them. “H-Hey, wait up! You are _not_ leaving me here all by myself!”

 

  They edged along the perimeter of the trees, staying out of sight. Numerous people were walking around the building; all adults, though Cara thought she saw a girl her age entering the temple with a woman at one point. When the coast was clear, she waved her friends forward. “Alright, lets go.”

 

  They ran, hiding behind the vehicles as they made their way toward the entrance. A truck here, a few cars there, even a tank at one point. What were these people doing out here? What was Outpost 61?

 

  “Oh good god,” Noah murmured.

 

  “What?” Cara said.

 

  “Look.” He pointed to one of the trucks. On the side a black symbol was printed, and under it a word. Monarch.

 

  “This is a _Monarch_ facility?” Eddie squeaked.

 

  “Shit, no wonder this place is here. Monarch is studying the temple.” Monarch was the company that had discovered Godzilla; if they were here, than that meant there was something about this temple that intrigued them. Something potentially dangerous.

 

  “What do you think they’re doing in their?” Noah asked.

 

  “Only one way to find out.” Cara moved forward. “Come on.”

 

  The entrance into the temple was a single straight hallway that looked as if it had been in place for millions of years. Monarch had installed temporary lights on the ceiling, so thankfully it was easy to see, but it was still extremely creepy. The walls were made out of ancient stone, and intricate designs were carved into it. Cara brushed her hand over one-the scene depicted what seemed to be some sort of divine being that took the form of a type of butterfly-like insect.

 

  What was this place? Who built it? And why did she feel like she had seen these designs before?

 

_“Find me. Cara, I’m here. Find me. I’m here.”_

 

  The song was getting louder. And it was beginning to sound less like a melody and more like an actual, human voice.

 

  “Where exactly are we going?” Eddie said.

 

  “I don’t know, but it’s neat!” Noah had taken out his phone and was recording their trek. “Journey to China log number one! We are currently breaking into a super old temple that is being controlled by Monarch. Eddie, what do you have to say about this situation?”

 

  “Can you turn that off?” Eddie hissed.

 

  “Shhhh!” Cara stopped, moving her arms out to halt them. “I think I heard something!”

 

  They went still for a moment. The sound of voices could be heard up ahead. Cara slowly moved forward, peering her head around a corner.

 

  It seemed that Monarch had built into the temple, as well. The hallway was cut off by some sort of tube, and she could see people walking beyond the two double doors that led in.

 

  “Woah. Secret lab. Neat.” Noah snapped a photo.

 

  “Alright, we saw what was inside. Now let’s go.” Eddie turned around and disappeared back down the hallway. Noah lingered for another moment before shutting his phone off and following suit. “Cara, come on!”

 

  Cara went to go with them, than stopped. The song was back, voicing it’s lovely tune. Though now that she thought about it, the more she listened, the more her head was beginning to hurt. She retreated back a little when a whole line of people abruptly came out of the built-in room. They walked straight passed her, all talking about things she didn’t understand, and went down the adjacent hallway.

 

  She waited until she was sure they were gone, than quickly headed down the hallway. The double doors whooshed open for her with a pleasant _ting_ , allowing her full access to...whatever this room was.

 

  It was an observation room, it seemed. At the far end another set of doors built around a huge window awaited her, leading into a gigantic chamber. Cara walked up to the glass, touching it, trying to see what was inside.

 

  Something sat in the center of the chamber. Something big.

 

_“Find me. See me. Come back to me. Please, return to me.”_

 

  She went over to the doors and walked through them. Scanners inside the mini waiting area cast over her, then promptly deemed her worthy of access. The doors to the chamber opened.

 

  She walked onto a catwalk, taking in her surroundings. The chamber’s ceiling was high above her, and etched onto it was another drawing of the strange butterfly-moth god. It seemed as if this part of the temple had been built for some sort of ritual or religious practice; down below the catwalk, she could see seats carved out from the walls, leading all the way up to where the catwalk was.

 

_“Here. Your here. You’ve found me. Your here.”_

 

  Her head was seriously beginning to ache.

 

  The thing in front of her moved.

 

  She jumped back, her eyes snapping up to the mass. Her breath hitched in her throat.

 

  A giant monster stared back at her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Mothra

_Run._

 

_Hide._

 

_Call for help._

 

 _Do_ something.

 

  Cara’s mind was a gibbering mess of mystified terror. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t scream for help. She was caught in the monster’s great stare, unable to look away, trapped in a state of fascinated horror.

 

  The...creature...whatever it was, blinked it’s great eyes. They were those of an insect, a bright sky blue color that reflected Cara’s image like a warped mirror. The thing resembled that of a giant caterpillar with no fur, but instead of being in a cocoon, it was partly encased in silk.

 

  That silk looked to be breaking.

 

  Whatever this thing was, she prayed it didn’t eat meat.

 

  A low chitter emerged from the monster’s mouth. It’s bulk shifted slightly, causing Cara to stumble back and squeak. Soft blue spots pulsed all over its body, lighting up the chamber with a quiet hue.

 

  She heard the voice again...it was loud, booming around her from all directions. It made her head hurt, a throbbing growing in her forehead.

 

 _“Cara…”_ the voice called. _“My child...you came…”_

 

  “W-Who are you?” Cara yelled. “ _Where_ are you? Who’s messing with me?”

 

  There was a pause. The voice sounded mildly surprised. _“I am right in...front of you. Can you not see me? I am...right here.”_

 

  Cara blinked; with each word the voice spoke tears of pain sprung into her eyes. Her vision swam momentarily. “Right in front of me? There’s no one in front of me! There’s only this giant…bug...thing…”

 

  She looked at the monster. The monster looked back.

 

  There was intelligence in its eyes. It was looking directly at her with implied eye contact.

 

  “Oh my god,” she breathed. “Your...it’s you...your talking…what the _fuck_?”

 

 _“You really do not know who I am?”_ The voice-no, the fucking _giant_ _catapillar_ -asked. There was puzzlement within its gaze. _“How...strange. Perhaps it is because we are both so young…in this life…”_

 

  “I’m going crazy,” Cara muttered. She held her head in her hands, pacing back in forth. “I’m going fucking crazy. There is a giant monster talking to me. I’m talking to a giant insect.”

 

 _“I am not a monster,”_ the creature said, slightly offended. _“Though I do understand as to why you would think that. But you should know…I don’t understand. This doesn’t make any sense.”_

 

  “Damn right it doesn’t!” Cara was beginning to get hysterical. “How do you _exist_? Are you an alien? Are you going to eat me? Oh god, please don’t eat me!”

 

_“Why would I eat...the other half of my soul?”_

 

  There was a weighted silence.

 

  “Now your just talking complete nonsense,” Cara said.

 

 _“I do not know why you don’t recognize me, due to the fact that we have known each other for millennia...but it must be because I have been asleep for so long.”_ The monster hummed in a dismissive tone. _“It does not matter...you will remember eventually. My child, would you please press that blue button over there?”_

 

  “You want me to do what?” Cara said.

 

 _“Press that button.”_ The monster’s body jerked slightly to the left. One of its forelegs raised to indicate the direction. “ _The blue one will release me from this prison. We can discuss things further when I am free.”_

 

  “Wait, free you?” Cara echoed. “I can’t do that! We’re in a top secret facility, I’m not even supposed to be here!”

 

_“Wait. You...sneaked in here? You were not allowed in with permission?”_

 

  “No, of course not! No random kid would be allowed to waltz around a Monarch containment field!”

 

 _“Monarch.”_ The monster’s prim trill formed into an angry snarl. _“So that is the name of the company that is studying me. Treating me like a thing to control.”_

 

  “Yes, Monarch, they’re super big and definitely  _not_ the people you want to get in trouble with!” Cara turned back toward the observation room. “I have to find my friends and get out of here!”

 

 _“Wait!”_ the creature cried, panicked. The word had so much intenseness in it, so much emotion, that it made Cara’s knees buckle and cause her to clutch her head with a shriek. It felt like her skull was going to shatter into a million pieces, that her brain was going to turn to liquid and ooze out of her ears.

 

 _“Sorry, I am so sorry! I forgot that you have not felt our physic connection in a long time.”_ The monster chirped worriedly. _“Are you okay?”_

 

  “No!” Cara grunted as she struggled to her feet, pain sparking through her. “I feel like my brain is going to explode!”

 

_“You will get used to it, I promise. It natural for a Bonded to have pain when interpreting a Titan’s voice for the first time in a while.”_

 

  “Bonded?” Cara said. “What is that supposed to be?”

 

 _“I will explain later,”_ The monster replied. _“You have to push the button. I can get us out of here.”_

 

  “How?” Cara yelled. “You don’t have strong enough legs!”

 

_“Not yet. I am close to my metamorphosis. Once you free me, I will go dormant, and will proceed in my growth.”_

 

  “Your making no sense,” Cara groaned.

 

_“I know I am not. But I am not asking you to interpret the meaning in my words. All I am asking is that you trust me.”_

 

  Cara hesitated. The pain in her head was beginning to subside to a dull pulse, allowing her to think more clearly. “You promise not to eat me?”

 

_“I swear on my heart.”_

 

  It sounded like a sincere enough oath. Cara found herself slightly relaxing, finally beginning to believe, for now, that this huge creature didn’t mean her any harm. She went over to a set of computers on the catwalk; they were very modern and futuristic, nothing like she had ever seen.

 

  Curious, she began to examine the tech. One computer was tracking the monster’s pulse and activity. Cara leaned forward, reading the listed facts and data.

 

  “Titanus Mosura?” she read aloud. “That’s your name?”

 

 _“In a way, yes,”_ The monster said. _“The humans studying me call it my ‘scientific name.’ I have never heard anyone refer to me this way. Not even you.”_

 

  “Huh.” That was all Cara could say as she continued to look over the files. “Strange. What did I call you, then?”

 

_“By my true name. The one given to me by my mother. The one I call myself, and all others who know of me.”_

 

  A word appeared next to Titanus Mosura. Cara stared at it; a strange jolt of energy passed through her as she read it.

 

  “Mothra.”

 

 _“Yes,”_ The monster said. _“Mothra. Queen of the Monsters.”_

 

  “Your a queen?” Cara gasped.

 

_“Figuratively, yes.”_

 

  “That’s so cool.” Cara watched the information circulate one more time, then looked over at the blue button. “All I have to do is press this, and you’ll be free?”

 

 _“Yes,”_ Mothra said. _“I can help us escape...you said you had friends with you?”_

 

  At that moment, there was the sound of the observation room doors sliding open, followed by the slamming of sneakers against the metal of the catwalk. Cara whirled around, her heart nearly leaping out of her throat for fear that she had been discovered, then eased when she saw the familiar faces of Eddie and Noah coming toward her.

 

  “There you are!” Noah cried. He practically threw himself on top of her as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. “We thought we lost you! You just disappeared! Why would you _do_ that?”

 

  “Noah, get off of me!” Cara gasped. She pushed him away. “I’m happy to see you too, but you don’t have to crush my lungs!”

 

  “We have to get out of here.” Eddie was jumping from foot to foot nervously. “I think they know we’re here. Let’s-” He stopped short, mouth dropping open as his eyes went over her shoulder to Mothra.

 

  There was a pause as Noah and Eddie stared at the giant monster.

 

  “What,” Noah said slowly. “-in the hell. Is _that_?”

 

  “I’m still trying to figure that out,” Cara replied.

 

  “Is-Is that a _caterpillar_?” Eddie choked.

 

 _“I am not a caterpillar,”_ Mothra huffed. _“I am a_ lepidopteran _, thank you very much.”_

 

  “She’s a lepidopteran,” Cara translated.

 

  “What’s a lepidopteran?” Eddie asked.

 

  Cara shrugged. “I have no idea.”

 

  “Wait, how did you know that?” Noah looked from her to Mothra to her again. “What do you mean by _she_ ? Cara, what _is_ that thing?”

 

  Cara hesitated, unsure if they’d believe her if she told them the truth. “You’ll think I’m insane if I say,” she said.

 

  “We are standing in front of a giant monster in an ancient temple-turned-government facility.” Noah crossed his arms. “Try me.”

 

  Cara looked at Mothra. “Should I tell them?”

 

 _“They seem like total imbeciles,”_ Mothra said. _“I am confident that they are too idiotic to be a threat to us.”_

 

  “Okay.” Cara took in a deep breath. “Alright, here it goes. Guys, this is Mothra. She’s the ‘queen of the monsters,’ as she puts it. And I-I can understand her.”

 

  Eddie and Noah gave her completely dumbfounded looks.

 

  And before either could comment on her claims, a harsh voice rang through the cave.

 

  “Freeze!”

 

  They all jumped, turning to find themselves face to face with what looked like an army of soldiers, each holding guns in their hands, every single one pointed at their bodies. Cara’s pulse raced like a freight train, and she let out a stuttering gasp at the sight of the deadly weapons.

 

  They had been caught.

 

  “Kids,” an authoritative voice barked. “Step away from the computers. Now.”

 

  They raised their hands into the air and obeyed.

 

 _“What are you fiends doing?”_ Mothra growled, making her wince. _“You dare to threaten my Bonded?”_

 

  She could hear the words translate to English in her ears, but to everyone else in the cave, Mothra’s voice was nothing more than loud, chittering hisses and clicks. The larva shifted, straining against the silk encasing it, fulminating when she couldn’t get free. _“Get away from my human!”_

 

  The soldiers faltered, staring up at Mothra uneasily. Cara took advantage of their momentary distraction and began to inch her hand down toward the blue button.

 

  “Stop!” a woman pushed her way through the crowd of soldiers, pointing a frantic finger at her. “Don’t move! Don’t touch that button!”

 

  Cara froze. The woman strode quickly over to her, Eddie, and Noah and glared down at them with a look of parental rage. “How did you three get in here?” she yelled. “This is a quarantine area! Do you know how much danger you could have put us all in if you pushed that?” She nodded to the blue button.

 

  “W-We’re s-s-sorry, miss,” Eddie stuttered. “P-P-Please don’t shoot us!”

 

  The woman pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “First of all, they’re tasers, not actual guns. Second, you’ve seen too much. If word gets out about this-” she gestured at Mothra. “-there will be world-wide panic. No one can find out about this.”

 

  “Can we even know what _this_ is?” Noah, of course Noah, always the loudmouth, asked. “It’s a giant _monster_. How does it exist?”

 

  The woman ignored him. She looked to the soldiers. “Take them and wipe them. Just this event. Leave everything else.”

 

  “Wait, what?” Eddie cried. He shrieked when a soldier marched forward and grabbed him roughly by the shoulder. “Hey, wait, what do you mean wipe us? What are you going to do?”

 

  “Get your hands off of me!” Noah punched at another soldier’s chest, fighting against his grip. “I could accuse you of sexual abuse for this!”

 

  “Don’t touch me!” Cara snarled, jerking away from another’s grasp. A sudden, frantic feeling that came out of nowhere to stay as close to Mothra as possible burst in her chest as she was grabbed and dragged away from the creature. It was an ancient, instinctive feeling, one that rose up from her soul and reached out futilely toward Mothra, and somehow she could feel that Mothra’s soul was doing the same.

 

 _“NO!”_ Mothra roared. _“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY BONDED! I WON’T BE TAKEN AWAY FROM HER AGAIN!”_

 

  The roar sent Cara collapsing to the floor, nearly blacking out from the agony of interpreting Mothra’s words. She faintly heard Eddie and Noah yell her name. Heard the distant sound of silk snapping and the catwalk shaking underneath her.

 

  Something large and white flew at her soldier, sending him flying backwards with a grunt. There were gasps and startled screams. Cara looked upward and saw the man stuck to the wall under a layer of thick silk.

 

  Another screech from Mothra sent her doubling over in pain again.

 

 _“Cara!”_ she screamed. _“Look at me! Please, if you wish for us to remain together from now on, you must press that button!”_

 

  The plea rumbled through her chest and sent strength speeding through her muscles.

 

  She could do this.

 

  She _had_ to do this.

 

  Cara pulled herself upward. She staggered over to the computers. The blue button waited patiently, glowing its soft color. She raised her arm over it.

 

  “No!” The woman screamed.

 

  Cara slammed her hand down on the button with all the strength she had.

 

  The chamber shuddered. The button turned red. The computers started to beep out warnings, signaling that Mothra was no longer contained.

 

  Mothra reared upward, silk flying off of her as she let out a triumphant warble. Her entire body began to glow, and as she got brighter and brighter, Cara felt herself getting warmer and warmer, to the point where her heart might as well have turned into a mini sun. 

 

  Mothra form expanded, then contracted. Where the monster had once sat, there was now a shining ball of energy, shifting from blue to red to blue again. It hovered for a moment, then hurled toward Cara, impacting with her chest.

 

  Instead of pain, Cara felt power. The ball of energy was _absorbed_ into her skin, swirling through her for a moment before congregating to her neck, where it settled and hummed.

 

  Everything went still. The bright spectacle was over. Mothra was nowhere to be found.

 

  Everyone else in the chamber stared at Cara in shocked silence.

 

  With shaky legs, Cara walked numbly back over to the others. She didn’t feel like herself; she felt better, more powerful, like she could do anything. She felt...whole.

 

  “What have you done?” the woman whispered. Her eyes were filled with a newfound fear; a fear of _her_. “Do you know what you have just unleashed upon the world?”

 

  “Doctor, look,” one of the soldiers piped up. “Her neck.”

 

  The woman squinted, peering at Cara. Her mouth flopped open like a fish.

 

  “What?” Cara asked. “What’s on me?” She touched her neck, but felt nothing except her skin. “Am I hurt?”

 

_“No. They are merely wondering how I appeared on you.”_

 

  The voice made her jump. “M-Mothra?”

 

_“Yes, it is me. Thank you so, so much, my child. We are finally together again.”_

 

  “Am I the only one who can hear you?”

 

_“Yes. I am speaking directly to your mind. I do not want to sound rude, but you are looking slightly insane to these humans who have no idea what just happened.”_

 

  “Oh.” Cara felt embarrassed. “Right. I’m talking to myself, basically. Shit.”

 

  “Is-Is the Titan _inside_ her?” a soldier asked.

 

  “Cara, what the fuck just happened?” Noah called out.

 

  “I don’t know!” Cara called back. “I pressed the button and now a caterpillar is talking to me in my brain!”

 

 _“Lepidopteran,”_ Mothra corrected politely.

 

  “This is fascinating.” The woman was beginning to look less afraid and more like she had just discovered a new species of human being. “Titanus Mosura binded itself to you. How did it do that?”

 

 _“She is my Bonded, fool.”_ Mothra’s words were venomous. _“Only she is worthy of having the other half of my soul. No other human may be granted such an amazing heritage.”_

 

  “You do know she can’t hear you, right?” Cara mumbled to her under her breath.

 

_“I am aware. That does not mean I cannot delight myself in throwing insults.”_

 

  “We have to study this.” The woman was giddy like a child. “This could change everything. We finally might have a way to get things under control!” She smiled to Cara for the first time. “You have just shown us something very special.”

 

  “Um.” Cara took a step away from her. “Thank...you?”

 

  “Monarch is a very unique company. You’ll be aiding us in researching some of the greatest legends our planet has ever known.” The doctor took out a phone and started typing something. “We’ll notify your parents that your fine, and you won’t be home for a while. Then we can get started.”

 

  “Wait, what do you mean by that?” Cara asked. “I can’t go home? But I’m on vacation!”

 

  “You mean _we’re_ on vacation!” Noah added. “Don’t forget about me and Eddie over here!”

 

  “Yeah, and what about my friends?” Cara pointed to the other kids. “Do they have to stay, too?”

 

  “Oh. Them.” The doctor blinked, as if she had forgotten Eddie and Noah existed. “No, we’ll still have to wipe their brains. They’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

 

  “But I like my brain the way it is!” Eddie protested. He yelled out defiance as the soldiers began to haul him and Noah away.

 

  “Wait, stop!” Cara started after them, only to be blocked by more soldiers. “Leave them alone! Let them go!”

 

 _“Cara, listen to me,”_ Mothra said. _“I am going to do something that will probably not feel particularly pleasant. But it is the only way we can get out of this with your friend’s brains intact.”_

 

  “What are you going to do?” Cara said.

 

_“Just relax. You have done this before. Focus on the light inside you.”_

 

  Cara had no idea what the monster was talking about, but she obeyed. In what felt like a matter of seconds, the warmth from before returned, only it was fifty times more uncomfortable. She squirmed and rubbed her tingling forehead, then yelped when she saw that her entire arm was _glowing_.

 

  Shouts from the other people rose up as her body glowed brighter and brighter all over. The warmth running through her became so intense for a moment, it was unbearable, before it all released and a blinding flash emitted from her out in all directions like a thousand bolts of lightning going off at once.

 

  When the light was gone, everyone but her were covering their eyes and crying out that they couldn’t see. She looked down at her hands, watching them return to their normal color.

 

 _“They will not be blinded forever,”_ Mothra said. _“Hurry, grab your friends and we can go!”_

 

  Cara rushed over to Eddie and Noah. She grabbed their arms and yanked them after her as she ran into the observation room and away from the chamber.

 

  “What just happened?” Eddie yelled. He was blinking madly. “Agh, my eyes!”

 

  “Did you just fucking _glow_?” Noah questioned in disbelief.

 

  “Not really the best time right now to be asking me stupid questions!” Cara pulled them harder. “Come on, we have to get out of here!”

 

  “Stop yanking on my arm like that!” Noah stopped and wrenched himself out of her grip. “How did you do that? That was fucking insane!”

 

  “You, like, just lit up like the sun!” Eddie put his arms out for emphasis. “Have you always been able to do that?”

 

  “I don’t know, okay?” Cara looked over her shoulder. “Can we discuss this later? Like, after we escape and get as far away from Monarch as possible?”

 

  “Yeah, Cara has a good point.” Noah looked unsurely around himself. “Lets go!”

 

  The cold modern feel of the Monarch facility was replaced by the lush, tropical world of the rainforest as they ran out of the main entrance. Cara stole a look over her shoulder, looking up at the giant camp surrounding the ancient temple. It made her sad, even a little angry, to see such a sight; this was a sacred place, for whoever had built it so long ago. How dare Monarch just invade it and take it over?

 

 _“I feel the same way as you do, my child.”_ Mothra sighed forlornly. _“When I first hatched a few weeks ago, I was expecting you and my worshippers to greet me. I was so excited to be with you and them again. But when I did emerge, all there was were bright lights and men with guns. My worshippers were gone, and you were nowhere to be found.”_

 

  Cara was startled. “Did-Did you just read my mind?”

 

_“No. I felt your emotions. Us Titans are keen to pick up on you humans’ feelings and body language.”_

 

  “Oh. That’s cool, I guess.” Cara was beginning to pant as she followed Noah and Eddie through the forest back down the way they had came. “Have you always been able to sense me? Why didn’t I sense you? Why don’t I remember you, if what you say about us being connected through past lives of true?”

 

_“It may be due to the fact that we haven’t been together for a while. I’m sure your memories will return to you soon.”_

 

  Pretty soon, they emerged back into the main base camp clearing. It was relieving to be back among her fellow classmates, to not be trapped in a temple, surrounded by Monarch soldiers with taser guns pointed at your face. Cara, Noah, and Eddie didn’t speak, just joined up with the students that were there, under the suspicious eyes of Mr. Vesey. It was only now that Cara realized that this was the moment she had been dreading the entire journey.

 

  Noah and Eddie were going to tell her to explain everything. And they were going to want the _whole_ story.

 

  Too bad Cara didn’t have all the answers. She wish she did.

 

  Added with the fact that she had just basically stolen a giant monster from a private organization that could basically be considered a world power wasn’t helping to ease her anxiety, either.

 

  Dear god.

 

  She was royally _fucked_.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	7. The Tattoo

  Noah wasted no time questioning her when they returned to their hotel room at five.

 

  Cara wasn’t even given a chance to catch her breath.

 

  The minute she sat down on her bed, her friend was upon her, standing over her with his hands on his hips. “Alright, spill,” he said. “What the fuck just happened back there?”

 

  Cara shrugged. “Uhh, we escaped a Monarch facility?”

 

  “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Noah pointed to her. “You absorbed a giant monster into your body! You can understand it! You can fucking _glow_! When have you been able to do that?”

 

  “Not until all of this happened!” Cara answered. “I didn’t even know I could do that! What, you think I can become a human lamp by will at any time? This is a first for me, too!”

 

 _“Plus, I was not ‘absorbed’ into your body,”_ Mothra piped in. _“I simply joined together with my other half. Titans and Bondeds do it all the time.”_

 

  “What is a Bonded?” Cara asked her. “What does any of this _mean_? I’m so confused!”

 

  “Why are you talking to yourself?” Eddie called. He was standing at the door, looking through the peephole to watch if Monarch had somehow found their location and had followed them from the rainforest. “You’ve been doing that since we escaped the temple.”

 

  “I’m _not_ talking to myself,” Cara explained. “I’m talking to _Mothra_.”

 

 _“They would not know that,”_ Mothra said.

 

  “The caterpillar is talking to you,” Noah remarked.

 

 _“Lepidopteran,”_ Mothra sighed with weary exasperation. _“How many times must I say it?”_

 

  “First of all, she’s not a caterpillar. Second of all, yes, she is talking to me.” Cara stood up and pushed past Noah, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but for some reason I can understand her language.”

 

_“I’ve told you, it is because you are my Bonded.”_

 

  “Too bad I have no idea what a Bonded is!” Cara felt like beating her head against the wall repeatedly. “Argh, none of today makes any sense!”

 

  “She keeps saying that your bonded?” Noah said.

 

  Eddie abandoned his post at the door and joined them. His eyes were trained on Cara’s neck. “Maybe she means bonded by, you know, physically appearing on you.”

 

  She studied his expression. “Why are you looking at me like I just grew a second head?”

 

  “Look in the mirror,” Eddie answered simply.

 

  She gave him an odd look, then went over to stand in front of the mirror on the wall near the door.

 

  There was a moth tattoo on her chest. It’s wings snaked around her collarbone like a necklace, and it’s two front legs reached up toward her neck. Two blue eyes peered upward from under long feather-like antennae, the same color as Mothra’s.

 

 _“It is a symbol of our connection,”_ Mothra explained into her ear. _“All Bondeds have one. It only appears when a Titan and their human join together for the first time in a new life. It is very pretty, don’t you think?”_

 

  Cara had to work her tongue to reply. “Yes-Yes, it is.”

 

  “Did she tell you what that tattoo means?” Eddie asked.

 

  “It’s a sign of our connection.” Cara ran her fingers over the tattoo. “It means that we’re-we’re one.”

 

  “Oh, that’s very poetic,” Noah said dryly️. “Too bad I have no idea what the hell that's supposed to mean.”

 

  “I don’t know what it means, either, okay?” Cara turned to him and Eddie. “But it’s just something we’re going to have to live with now. Mothra and I, we belong together. I can feel it. So from now on, she’s apart of the club. Okay?”

 

 _“Ooooo, a club!”_ Mothra chirped excitedly. _“I have never been in a club before!”_

 

  Noah and Eddie exchanged glances. Noah shrugged. “Alright. I guess we’re friends with a giant monster now.” He leaned forward toward Cara’s chest. “Nice to meet you, Mothra! I’m Noah! Thanks for not eating us!”

 

  “Noah, get away from me!” Cara shoved him away from her, laughing. “Your going to creep her out!”

 

 _“Oh, consider me past creeped out,”_ Mothra chimed in. _“I am absolutely horrified that this is who I shall be dealing with in this life!”_

 

  “Do you think Monarch will come for us?” Eddie asked. “We leave for home tomorrow. Would they follow us out of the country?”

 

  “Probably. Monarch is everywhere. Plus, it might be hard to blend in with that tattoo.” Noah nodded to Cara.

 

  “Shit, that’s right.” Cara slapped her forehead. “What are my parents going to say? They’re going to freak out when they see I have a fucking tattoo!”

 

  “They might think it’s pretty,” Eddie offered. “I mean, it could be worse. You could have a skull and crossbones or something.”

 

  She sighed. “Yeah, yeah your right, I guess.” She looked back at the mirror. The moth really was beautiful; she knew it would be hard for her mother to find the anger to be mad, since she absolutely loved art like this.

 

  “We just have to stay on the down low.” Noah flopped onto his bed and spread his arms out above his head. “Monarch can’t kidnap a couple of kids.”

 

  “They were going to wipe our memories,” Eddie reminded.

 

  “And they were going to kidnap me,” Cara added.

 

  Noah paused. “Oh,” he slowly said. “Yeah. All of that. I kinda forgot. Shit.”

 

  “We’ll be fine, guys.” Cara tried to sound positive. “We’ll go home tomorrow, and everything will go back to normal. Like nothing ever happened.”

 

  “Despite the fact that you have a psychic connection with a monster,” Eddie said.

 

 _“I am extremely well at blending into my surroundings,”_ Mothra stated defensively. _“In one of our lives, we were being hunted by followers of Battra for two weeks in foreign woods. We evaded them just fine! How could hiding from Monarch be any different?”_

 

  “I have no idea who Battra is,” Cara said.

 

  Mothra made a gagging noise. _“Horrible creature, he is. I am actually quite glad you do not remember him.”_

 

  “What is Mothra saying?” Noah asked. “Who’s Battra? Someone who can help us?”

 

  “No, don’t worry about it.” Cara touched her tattoo again. The moth’s eyes shone up at her with familiarity.

 

  This wasn’t going to be easy. But her and her friends would figure it out together. Mothra was right.

 

  How hard could keeping under a million-dollar company’s radar be?

 

       ———————————

  In a locked room at the Monarch facility surrounding the Temple of the Moth, the doctor who had seen the spectacle of Cara and Mothra’s great escape paced back and forth worriedly.

 

  “Where did they go?” she was practically yelling. “How did you not get them on camera?”

 

  The agent facing her shrugged. “They’re kids. They can be sneaky.”

 

  “That’s not an excuse!” The doctor threw her hands up in the air. “We have advanced technology, state-of-the-art drones and cameras, and your telling me we can’t track down three _children_?”

 

  “We’re trying the best we can,” the agent defended. “It all happened so fast-”

 

  “Did you get a good look at them?” she asked.

 

  The agent shrugged again. “I wasn’t there. Do you know someone who was?”

 

  “Anyone who was there is either trapped under silk or temporarily blinded.” The doctor took in a breath. “But they were American. I could tell by the way they spoke.”

 

  “Maybe their staying in the city?” the agent suggested.

 

  “Maybe.” The doctor’s hopes grew slightly at the suggestion. “You could be right. I’ll get a team to search there tonight.”

 

  “Why are we so concerned about this, anyway?” The agent looked lost. “I mean, if the moth and the girl belong with each other-”

 

  “It's a symbiotic relationship.”

 

  “-Right.” The agent looked doubtful at that proposition. “But if they’re supposed to help each other, you know, like protect each other from threats, shouldn’t we just let them be? I mean, they must know better about each other than we do about them.”

 

  The doctor sighed and took off her glasses. “Dr. Russell says the Titans are the key to saving the world. I’m assuming she wants to somehow control them or communicate with them. That’s what the ORCA is for.”

 

  “But there’s only so much the ORCA can do.”

 

  “Exactly. Which is why we need the girl. If she can talk to Titanus Mosura, than we can learn how to peacefully interact with the Titans.”

 

  “Does Dr. Russell know about what happened?” the agent asked.

 

  “I notified her not too long ago. She should be here any minute right now.”

 

  At that moment, there was a knock on the door. The doctor went and opened it up, standing aside. “Dr. Russell, hello!”

 

  A frazzled looking woman stepped into the room, with a young girl trailing not too far behind. She gave the doctor and agent tired smiles. “Hello, Dr. Winston, Agent Johnson. How has the clean up been?”

 

  “Not looking too good, doc.” The agent stood up and adjusted his tie. “The silk is extremely strong. I don’t know if we’ll be able to break it without a power saw or something.”

 

  “No one was hurt, right?” Dr. Russell said.

 

  “No. No fatalities.”

 

  “Thank god.” She breathed out in relief. The mood had brightened when she arrived; Dr. Emma Russell was an expert on Titans. If anyone could solve this strange mystery, it was her. “And what about the three kids. Did they escape?”

 

  The doctor nodded. “Yes, but we have a pretty good idea as to where they are. They might be in the city.”

 

  Dr. Russell took out her phone. “Okay. Madison and I will go there now. If these kids are her age, she should be able to gain their trust.” She smiled down at the young girl standing next to her. Madison smiled back, nervous but excited too.

 

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” the doctor asked. “I mean, one of these kids is in possession of an extremely dangerous creature. What if she tells it to attack?”

 

  “We’ll bring the ORCA. If Titanus Mosura does decide to attack, we will be able to calm it down.” Dr. Russell looked at each of them with a determined expression. “This girl, she could be the answer to everything. Humans that can psychically connect with Titans...it could be the key to coexistence. It changes everything we’ve ever known.”

 

 

 

 

 

  


	8. The Spy

  The next morning, the students had to be awake by 9am for breakfast and than departure. Their plane to America was due to leave at 12, so it was crucial for them to be up early so they all had time to pack.

 

  Fortunately, Cara seemed to have acquired an internal alarm clock that screamed at her at the approximate time they had to get up.

 

 _“Wake up, my child!_ Mothra’s pleasant warble ran loud through her ears. _“Time to get up! You do not want to be late!”_

 

  “Nrrgh,” Cara groaned. She lifted her head out of her pillow, blinking. “M-Mothra?”

 

 _“Good morning!”_ the strange creature said cheerfully. _“Did you sleep alright?”_

 

  “I slept like a rock.” Cara sat up and yawned. “Best sleep I’ve had in a while.”

 

_“You will notice that you have much more energy and stamina now that we are together again. You’ll run faster, breath deeper, gain more muscle...you’ll be superhuman! Isn’t that just grand?”_

 

  Cara yawned again. “Can you let me wake up, first, before you start telling me this new information? I’m still half asleep.”

 

_“Of course. You have never been an early riser. It is quite funny to wake up before you and be your timer! Why, I am sure you would go into a three year hibernation without me to wake you up!”_

 

  Cara couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. “You have quite the sense of humor, don’t you?”

 

_“Indeed. I’ve learned it from you. I would not be so in tune with human humor if not for our travels!”_

 

  “Hey, could you tell me more about that? You know, the whole ‘past life’ thing? I’d like to understand what exactly it all means.”

 

_“All in due time, my child. Now, chop chop! Get your moronic friends up and going! I am hungry, and would wish for some nutrients!”_

 

  “Alright, lets get moving.” Cara threw back her bedsheets and got up. “Noah, Eddie! It’s time to pack!”

 

  “Huh-wassit?” Noah snuffed. “W-Why we gotta get up so early?”

 

  “It’s not early, it’s 9am. Don’t tell me you want to miss breakfast,” Cara said.

 

  “Breakfast?” Noah shot up. “Why didn’t you tell me there was breakfast? Eddie, get up!”

 

  The three of them got ready, and soon they were heading to the lobby to eat. They joined the other students in the hotel restaurant, chowing down on exotic breakfast foods.

 

  “Yo, dude, your eating a lot,” Noah said. Cara had already eaten nearly three plates of food. “Are you feeling okay? Does it have to do with...you know who?”

 

  Cara’s eyes darted around the restaurant, glancing at the faces of the strangers that were eating as well. She was a bit paranoid; anyone here could be an agent of Monarch, watching them and waiting for the right moment to whisk them away back to their secret headquarters or the temple. No one else could know about Mothra except Noah and Eddie. If she told anyone else, they would all be in extreme danger.

 

  “I’m just really hungry,” Cara said. “I really have no idea why. Um, Mothra? Are you the reason I’m eating so much?”

 

 _“I am taking in much of the nutrition that is from the food you have chosen,”_ Mothra said. _“It is mostly the meats and fruits that I am eating. Do not worry, I am almost done, and than your hunger shall die. You have already taken in the food your body needs for the morning. It is all me, now.”_ She sounded slightly guilty. _“The fact that I eat so much has never bothered you in the past. I keep forgetting that you do not remember. I am sorry.”_

 

  “No, no, don’t be sorry! Your fine, you can eat all you want! I really don’t eat breakfast, anyway.” Cara took another bite of cantaloupe that she had piled onto her plate. “Is this the way it is for all...Titans and their, uh, Bondeds? I provide you cover and food, and in return you give me protection and, um, cool powers and stuff?”

 

 _“A relationship between a Titan and Bonded is not symbiotic,”_ Mothra said. _“It is much deeper than that. You are not just my vessel; you are the other half of my very soul. I genuinely care about your wellbeing. I want to keep you safe. I want to protect you. Don’t you feel the same way?”_

 

  Cara didn’t hesitate. She hadn’t known Mothra for long-at least, she didn’t remember knowing her-but she already had formed a sort of platonic affection for the creature. Mothra was her friend, and she, in a sisterly way, truly loved her. “Of course I care about you, Mothra.”

 

  She sounded relieved. _“That is good to know, my child. I do not know what I would do if our love for each other was lost in time.”_

 

  “So, you truly are a Titan. Your like Godzilla. Your a god.” Cara tried to speak low, for the sake of not looking insane to everyone around her who wasn’t Noah and Eddie.

 

_“Not quite a god. While I am immortal, I am not eternal in the sense you are thinking. Wait...did you say Godzilla?”_

 

  “Yeah, Godzilla. He’s this giant lizard that can breath atomic fire.” Cara noticed the intensity in Mothra’s tone. “Why, did you know him?”

 

  Mothra was silent for a moment before she replied. _“Yes. We knew him very well...he liked you. He enjoyed your company. You became a somewhat sort of second Bonded to him, since his Bonded was killed long ago.”_

 

  “Oh.” This was all completely new to her. “I-I’m sorry. Who killed them?”

 

_“No one you need to worry about, my child. Not now, at least.”_

 

  Cara didn’t like the ominous hint behind those words. But she didn’t question further, and before she knew it, her hunger had disappeared in a blink of an eye.

 

  She wondered how Mothra and her had known Godzilla. She really wished she could remember her past lives. The more she thought about it, the more she began to believe that she had walked this earth, before. Would she be able to understand Godzilla, as well? Or was it just Mothra, since she was the one who Cara was bonded to?

 

  She didn’t know. She wanted to find out. But she didn’t want to push Mothra for answers.

 

  Well, it was alright. She would figure things out soon enough. Everything would come around in due time.

 

  Cara finished up her food and settled back, waiting for Mr. Vesey’s signal to the students to return to their rooms and prepare to leave the hotel.

 

                ————————-

  The airport was just as chaotic as when they had arrived two days ago. The entire experience consisted of once again being pushed forward by fellow students and and strangers alike. Cara felt like she was holding her breath the entire time until they all were ordered to sit down by the gate where their plane would dock and be waiting for them. She collapsed into her chair, closing her eyes with a tired exhale of breath.

 

 _“Cara,”_ Mothra said.

 

  Cara didn’t open her eyes. “Yeah?”

 

_“There is someone watching us.”_

 

  Her heart dropped all the way to the bottom of her stomach. She sat up, trying not to make it too obvious that she was on alert. “Where?” she asked.

 

_“On your right. There is someone hiding behind the wall of that shop.”_

 

  She turned her head slightly, allowing her eyes to wander to the designated location.

 

  There was a girl staring at her with widened eyes. She looked to be about her age, maybe older. Cara froze; she had seen this person before.

 

  It was the same girl that she had seen walking into the Temple of the Moth.

 

 _“That is her,”_ Mothra whispered. _“You seem shocked. Do you know her?”_

 

  “I saw her back at your temple,” Cara said. “She was with Monarch.”

 

 _“Ah. A spy.”_ Mothra hissed. _“And a child, no doubt. Very clever. It is easy for her to blend in.”_

 

  The girl had her phone in her hand. She lifted it up, aiming the camera toward her.

 

  _Nonono,_ _please, no, don’t…_

 

  The girl’s camera flashed. She put her phone in her pocket and stared at Cara for a few more moments, before vanishing into the crowds of people walking through the airport.

 

  “Shit,” Cara said.

 

  “What?” Noah asked. “What shit? Who’s shitting?”

 

  “Are you deliberately asking stupid questions to annoy us, or are you just dumb?” Eddie said.

 

  “There was a girl over there.” Cara pointed to the store. “She took our photo. And I-I saw her at the Monarch containment field.”

 

  “What?” Eddie squeaked.

 

  “Oh, crap.” Noah started forward. “Shit, that’s not good. Come on, we’ll chase her down, force her to delete it and-”

 

  “No.” Cara pushed him back down. “It’s too risky. It might be a trap.” She looked back to where the girl had been. “We just have to stay quiet and get home safely. The important thing is that we remain calm.”

 

  “But why would there be a kid our age working for Monarch?” Eddie said.

 

  “I don’t know. Maybe she’s the daughter of that scientist we met in the temple. But we can’t trust her, whoever she is.”

 

 _“Do not worry, Cara. I shall protect us,”_ Mothra said fiercely. _“If this company you call Monarch comes for us, I shall wipe their miserable selves out of existence. No one hurts my Bonded and her allies and gets away with it.”_

 

  “Thanks, Mothra.” Cara appreciated her concern, but she definitely did not want her to start killing people. “We can figure out a way to stay safe in a less...violent way. Remember, this isn’t the past. Everywhere we go, we’re being watched.”

 

_“Indeed. I know how to play this game. The walls have eyes. You cannot trust anyone, sometimes not even the people who are closest to you.”_

 

  “What’s that’s supposed to mean?”

 

_“Nothing. Things will work out. Let us relax, and try not to look suspicious.”_

 

  Cara sighed. “Will you tell me the history of the Titans during the plane ride?”

 

_“Of course. It would be an honor.”_

 

  Cara looked back at where the girl had been, and a kernel of dread began popping up inside of her.

 

  Whoever she was, she hoped they could evade her. Monarch was never far behind. Somehow, in some way, they had to make sure they wouldn’t be caught.

 


	9. Of Gods and Monsters

  Mothra began the Titan history lesson the moment the plane took off. Cara listened intently, excited to discover what role she played in this strange new world she had been thrust into.

 

_   “Titans are ancient species of creatures that have been around since the beginning of time,”  _ Mothra started.  _ “All around the world, we have been documented by peoples of all cultures. Many of us were worshipped as gods. Others were seen as destructive forces of nature. But we have always had contact with the human race.” _

 

_   “At first, we coexisted in peace. I was the protector of a group of people native to the area you now call China. Godzilla was in contact with an ancient civilization that disappeared underneath the waves of the sea. It was a good life. A happy life. Not much went wrong in those times.” _

 

  “What happened? Why did those times stop?” Cara asked.

 

_   “Some Titans are more aggressive than others. And these certain Titans did not like humans invading their territory. They would kill any who got too close. Eventually, the humans took this as an act of war. The peace was destroyed, and each side would not stop killing until the other was eradicated.” _

 

_   “Some humans and Titans remained allies, however. And they came up with a plan to end the war. Titans did not understand humans, and humans did not understand Titans. To change that, they each chose an unborn baby growing in a mother’s womb, one for each Titan. They split that baby’s soul in half, and took a piece out and replaced it with a piece of a Titan’s soul. The respective Titan than got the piece of the human’s soul. This connected each Titan to a human in ways beyond physical; they would be connected through time and life, forever.” _

 

  “So, I was chosen for you? Why? What makes me so special?”

 

_   “I was among the five Titans who wished to remain friends with the human race. I chose you. I saw a fire in you that I saw in no other human-a fire to help, to protect, to aid others. Your soul was so much like mine, it would have been foolish not to choose you.”  _ Mothra’s voice was proud.  _ “I did not know you back then, but I already loved you, with all of my heart.” _

 

  “Awww, that’s so sweet,” Cara said. “Your making me blush. It’s nice to know I’m just as irresistible to Titans as I am to other people.”

 

_   “Hush, now, you silly thing,”  _ Mothra laughed.  _ “I am not finished.”  _ She resumed her serious tone.  _ “These humans, when born, would be called Bondeds. They were seen as deities, demigods, and, quite literally, the other half of a Titan’s being. A Bonded can join together with their Titan, linking their souls together and becoming one. When this happens, a tattoo appears on the Bonded’s body, signaling their status and that they are together with their soulmate.” _

 

  “And that’s what we’ve done,” Cara said.

 

_   “Yes. Of course, the process can be undone any time. I can return to my physical form at any given moment, if I like. The tattoo will remain, a sign that we can link and unlink ourselves at will.” _

 

  “So there are others like me. There are other Bondeds.” Cara sat up straight in her seat, gripping the armrests with restrained excitement. “We should find them! So something like the disaster back in 2014 will never happen again! Humans and Titans could learn to work together!”

 

_   “There is nothing more honorable than dedicating yourself to do good,”  _ Mothra said.  _ “However, it might prove to be rather difficult to seek out other Bondeds and Titans with Monarch searching for us and your friends.” _

 

  “Oh, right.” Cara deflated. She had forgotten all about the threat of Monarch looming over their heads. “Well, I’m sure we’ll figure something out. Who knows, maybe Monarch just wants to help, too. It might be a good thing in letting them find us.”

 

_   “Do not be so quick to trust, my child. Looks can be deceiving, and while there might be five good people within Monarch, there are always ten more bad people to overpower them. Greed runs rampant in the hearts of man and Titan alike.” _

 

  “That’s true.” Cara sighed. “I know too many people who are way greedier than they should be.”

 

_   “Really? Who?” _

 

  “Oh, no one special.” Cara closed her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. She felt her palm come into contact with Noah’s face, but he was in such a state of slumber that the only reaction he gave was a disgruntled snort. “My dad can be pretty bad when it comes to money. And my brother always has to be the one who wins.”

 

_   “Really?”  _ Mothra said.  _ “Tell me more about your brother.” _

 

  “He’s my twin, but we couldn’t be less alike. He’s all about sports and being in the popular crowd, while I’m a…well, a loser.”

 

_   “Do not call yourself that!”  _ Mothra gasped.  _ “You are most certainly  _ not  _ a loser! You are the most victorious, wonderful human I know!” _

 

  “Thanks, Mothra. Your wonderful, too. I really appreciate you saying that.” Cara smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, though, Jack’s a great brother. We get along great. But, he still has that...streak in him that reminds me of my dad.”

 

_   “Jack? His name is Jack?” _

 

  “Yeah. It’s a pretty common human name. There’s, like, fifty kids in my school with the same name.”

 

_   “Strange,”  _ Mothra murmured. _ “I would like to meet your brother when we return to your home.” _

 

  “He’s great, you’ll see. Definitely the pride of the family.” Cara opened her eyes and looked out the window, watching the clouds. “You sound kind of suspicious.”

 

_   “No, no, I am not. I am just intrigued, that is all. I have never been especially close to your families. Why don’t you rest your eyes, my child? It has been a long day, and you shall need energy for the long journey ahead.” _

 

  Cara had no idea what ‘long journey’ Mothra was talking about, but she agreed. “Yeah, I’m pooped. Can you wake me up when we land, before Noah yells into my ear?”

 

_   “Yes,”  _ Mothra said.  _ “I will wake you up much more gently than he would, I assure you.” _

 

  “Thanks, Mothra. Your the best.”

 

_   “Do not mention it, my child. You just relax. I will watch over you.” _

 

  As Cara dozed off, Mothra stared out of the window. She contemplated her human’s words with careful evaluation, unable to keep that dreaded parasite known as fear out of her mind. There were many more things to worry about besides Monarch, now. She didn’t know how she was going to protect her beloved Bonded and her dumbbell friends from danger alone. Monarch she could handle; that was a threat that could be wiped out quickly. But there were other dangers that she wouldn’t be able to fight off by herself. Dangers that would overcome her and Cara...dangers that were awakening soon _. _

 

_   The chilling trio of alien screeches. Unearthly hurricanes and storms crackling through the sky and over the earth for months. _

 

  She and Cara couldn’t stop what was coming. Not alone.

 

  They needed a stronger ally.

 

  They needed a warrior.

 

  They needed a king.

 

  They needed to find Godzilla.

__

__


	10. The Agents

  It was around 3:00 when the students arrived home. It had been a long flight, and Cara was utterly exhausted from it. Mothra had made it better, but her tales couldn’t stop the pain in her tailbone after sitting for twelve hours.

 

  “Agh, _finally_!” Noah said as they walked into the gate area. He stretched out his arms. “God, it feels good to be off that plane!”

 

  “My butt hurts.” Eddie winced with every step they took. “Actually, everything hurts.”

 

 _“I, for one, feel completely refreshed,”_ Mothra said.

 

  “That’s because all you did was sleep and talk,” Cara said.

 

  “I can’t wait to jump into my own bed,” Noah said. “It’s gonna feel so good. Those beds at the motel were horrible.”

 

  “China is not known for their sleeping accommodations,” Eddie pointed out.

 

  “True that,” Noah and Cara said at the same time.

 

  The students followed Mr. Vesey and the other chaperones to the airport entrance. They were met with what seemed like a whole shipload of parents, who were holding up colorful signs that read “Welcome Home!” “Hooray!” and other cheesy sayings.

 

  “Woah,” Noah said. “Talk about going overload with the welcome.”

 

 _“Aw, how sweet!”_ Mothra warbled. _“They missed you! Titan parents do not show half the affection humans do!”_

 

  Cara scanned the crowd, but didn’t see her parents anywhere. They would never have forgotten she was here. Were they late, perhaps? Had they gotten stuck in traffic?

 

  “Hey, Cara.” Noah bumped her shoulder. “Eddie and I are heading out. You see your family?”

 

  “No.” She shook her head. “It’s not like them to be running late. I wonder where they are.”

 

  “We can wait with you, if you want,” Eddie offered.

 

  “Nah, it’s okay.” Cara waved at them. “You guys go. I’ll see you on Monday at school.”

 

  They looked at each other, obviously reluctant. Noah squared his shoulders. “No, we’ll help you. We can’t just leave you here by yourself.”

 

_“If my metamorphosis was completed, I could fly us home.”_

 

  “How long does your metamorphosis take?” Cara asked. She ducked her head as she followed Noah and Eddie into the crowd of families, trying to hide the fact that she was seemingly talking to herself.

 

_“Not long. Usually about a week. I am sure you will be very pleased to know that traveling will become much easier.”_

 

  They searched and searched, but to no avail. Cara’s parents were nowhere to be seen. She was beginning to get worried, and then guilty for keeping Noah and Eddie from going home. They were so tired. She felt like an idiot for letting them stay.

 

  “Hey, is that your brother?” Noah suddenly asked.

 

  “Huh?” Cara looked up. “Where?”

 

  A tall boy stood not too far away from them by the entrance. He looked exactly like a male version of Cara; relief crashed over her to see a familiar face from her family.

 

  “Jack!” she yelled, waving at him. “Jack, over here!”

 

  The boy’s gaze went to hers, and his features lit up. Her brother ran over to her and gave her a hug. “Cara! Am I glad to see you!”

 

  Cara had never been happier to see her twin. “What’s going on?” she asked. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”

 

  “I don’t know.” Jack shrugged. “They went out to get more welcome home signs, and never came back. I waited here so you wouldn’t think we never showed up.”

 

  “Let’s go outside to see if they’re still there. Maybe they lost track of the car.” Cara headed to the airport doors. “Eddie, Noah, you coming?”

 

  “Yeah, we’re right behind you.” Noah followed, with Eddie not far behind. “Our parents can wait.”

 

  They went outside, the bright Maine sun feeling good on Cara’s skin. Jack led the way through a line of cars, then stopped short.

 

  “Huh,” he said.

 

  “What? What’s wrong?” Cara asked.

 

  “The car’s gone.”

 

  “What?” Cara went to his side. The parking spot in front of them was vacant. “Your joking. Where did it go?”

 

 _“Something is not right about this,”_ Mothra said. _“Cara, I think we should get out of here.”_

 

  Cara opened her mouth, and then closed it, remembering that Jack didn’t know about Mothra. She turned to Noah and Eddie, bringing them close. “Mothra says we need to go.”

 

  “Why?” Eddie asked.

 

  “I don’t know. She senses danger.”

 

_“Tell them that I think we are walking into a trap.”_

 

  “She says we’re walking into a trap,” Cara said. Her heart fluttered with unease at the thought. “Let’s-”

 

  “Excuse me. Are you Cara Walker?”

 

  Cara turned and looked at the three adults standing before them in the empty parking spot.

 

  She immediately noticed the Monarch symbol on their clothes, and knew that they were here for her.

 

 _“Enemies!”_ Mothra shrieked. Cara winced. _“They’ve cornered us! How dare they?”_

 

  “Please, do not be alarmed.” The man who stood in the center looked down at her with kind eyes. “We are not here to harm you or your friends. We would just like to talk.”

 

  “H-H-How did you find us?” Eddie stammered.

 

  Cara already knew the answer. She pointed to the shadow hiding behind one of the adults. “ _She_ took a picture of me back at the Chinese airport,” she said. “That’s how they tracked us down.”

 

  The girl peeked nervously out to stare at Cara. There was a mix of total terror and utter fascination in her eyes.

 

 _“We can dispose of these vermin properly,”_ Mothra growled. _“They will not get their hands on us. This is barely even a fight. I say we attack!”_

 

  “No!” Cara yelled. She felt her body begin to heat up, could feel her chest and neck start to tingle with energy. Mothra was going to leave her body; she’d be on display for the entire airport! “Don’t form! Someone will see you! _Everyone_ will see you! We’ll be in even more danger than we already are in!”

 

  Hesitation from her Titan. Slowly, the warmth and tingling faded away.

 

_“I will hear them out for now. But one wrong movement from them, and their finished.”_

 

  Cara let out a breath. She looked back at the Monarch agents, who were balking at her in shock.

 

  “You can understand what Titanus Mosura is saying,” said one of the adults, the woman who was shielding the strange girl. “That’s fascinating. Can you speak to other Titans from different species?”

 

 _“Tell her nothing,”_ Mothra advised.

 

  “I-I-uh.” Cara’s mouth felt dry. “I-I-I don’t know.”

 

  “Smooth, real smooth,” Noah muttered.

 

  “Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” Jack asked. “Who are these people? Why are they talking about Titans? What is a Mosura? Cara, why are you talking to yourself?”

 

  “Your questions will be answered in due time,” the man said.

 

  “Where are my parents?” Cara demanded. “Tell me now!”

 

  “They are safe,” the man answered. “We brought them back to your house. They still think that you are on your trip.”

 

  “What did you do to them?” Jack asked.

 

  “That is not important.” The adult that hadn’t spoken stepped forward. “We came here to talk. Let’s get down to business.” She bowed to her. “My name is Dr. Ilene Chen. This is Dr. Emma Russell and Ishiro Serizawa. We need your help.”

 

  Cara was taken aback by this. They wanted her help? For what?

 

 _“This could be a twist of words,”_ Mothra warned. _“Tread carefully.”_

 

  Cara took her time to respond. “With what?” she asked.

 

  “Monarch is dedicated to studying the Titans. Our mission is not to enslave them, or to harm them, but to simply learn about them,” Dr. Chen responded. “However, there are people who wish to do the exact opposite. They endanger the lives of Titans and humans alike. And we need to stop them.”

 

 _“Likely story,”_ Mothra sneered. _“But they do speak partial truth. Tell them to go on.”_

 

  “Go on,” Cara said.

 

  “You are the most extraordinary person we have ever seen,” Dr. Chen continued. “You are binded to a Titan. You can understand it. You are connected in ways not understood.” She glanced at Cara’s tattoo. “You are the only one who can fluently communicate with them. Your our only hope of fully understanding why they are here and what their purpose is.”

 

 _“They are not wrong,”_ Mothra said. _“But they might attempt to take advantage of your power.”_

 

  “What do you want me to do?” Cara said.

 

  “There is a Monarch outpost in Antarctica,” Dr. Chen said. “It’s been compromised and taken over by a group of eco-terrorists lead by a man named Alan Jonah.”

 

  “Inside that outpost rests an extremely dangerous Titan. One that could spell the end of the world.” Mr. Serizawa was intense. “If they manage to awaken it...I don’t know what we will do.”

 

  “We need you to keep this Titan dormant,” Dr. Chen said. “If you can talk to it, you can keep it calm or perhaps distracted enough for us to take back the outpost and restabilize order. Added, you have a very powerful, revered Titan as your ally. The two of you can prevent catastrophic events.”

 

  “Will you help us?” Mr. Serizawa said.

 

  Cara paused, waiting for Mothra’s advice. When there was none, she whispered, “Mothra? You there? What should I say?”

 

_“Say yes.”_

 

  “What?”

 

 _“Say yes,”_ Mothra repeated. _“They are sincere. I know it. We can trust them. For now.”_

 

  Was it just her imagination, or did she have a hint of fear in her voice?

 

  Cara swallowed. She raised her chin. “I want my friends and brother to come with me.”

 

  “Yeah, I’m not going leaving her side!” Noah said.

 

  “Me neither! Wait, are we seriously going to Antarctica?” Eddie said.

 

  “I’m staying, too. Your not getting rid of me.” Jack crossed his arms.

 

  The adults looked at each other. Dr. Chen nodded. “They can come. We will have to hide this from their parents, though.”

 

  “How are you going to do that?” Noah asked.

 

  “We have our ways.” Dr. Russell took out a walkie talkie and spoke into it. “Ground team to Argo, we have confirmation. You may land.”

 

  “Who’s Argo?” Jack said.

 

  “Follow us.” Mr. Serizawa gestured to them. He walked past them back toward the airport. “We will explain everything.”

 

  Cara felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into Dr. Chen’s eyes.

 

  The doctor smiled. “Thank you for giving us your help, Ms. Walker,” she said. “And welcome to Monarch. We are glad to have you on the team.”

 

 

 

 

  

 

 


	11. Outpost 32

  The Argo, as it turned out, was a giant super plane that looked way too technologically advanced to exist. It’s cockpit was huge, filled with all sorts of communications and control devices that were connected to Monarch and the US military. Cara didn’t know where to look first when she first walked into it. She was so enthralled by everything she didn’t even notice the people around her staring at her with unbelieving eyes, that the person they had heard so much about was in their midst.

 

  Mothra was unusually quiet. The Titan was normally so talkative, and from the experience of flying back home, Cara knew she should have been absolutely dazzled by all the modern technology. It was concerning when she didn’t say a word about any of it. No motherly praise or compliments on the human race. Cara didn’t want to annoy her by questioning if she was okay, so she left her alone.

 

  There was something about Antarctica that was bothering her. Cara didn’t know what this new Titan would be like, but just the mention of it had sent Mothra into a brooding silence. It was to the point where Cara didn’t want to find out what Monarch was hiding at all.

 

  “You may sit here,” Dr. Chen said. She brought them over to a row of seats lining the wall. “It’ll be a long flight, so please, feel free to relax and explore.”

 

  “Just do not touch anything,” Mr. Serizawa added.

 

  Cara sat down. The girl who had spied on her at the Chinese airport sat down to her left; Cara didn’t give her a glance. She was still pissed off that she had stalked her and her friends all the way from Mothra’s temple.

 

  “Can we have snacks?” Noah asked.

 

  “Snacks can be arranged,” Dr. Chen replied.

 

  “Yes!” Noah elbowed Cara in the ribs. “You hear that? Snacks! Maybe this isn’t so bad, after all!”

 

  “Oh, it’s bad, all right.” Eddie looked sick. “This is worse than bad. We’ve been kidnapped! They’re gonna wipe our parent’s brains! We’re going to fucking _Antarctica_! Can this get any worse?”

 

  “I still have no idea what’s going on,” Jack said.

 

  “Cara is bonded to a giant monster named Mothra and now she has magical powers and can glow,” Noah said.

 

  Jack stared at him, then at Cara. He looked at her tattoo. “Is that true?”

 

  Cara nodded. “Yes. I’m-I’m called a Bonded. Mothra, she’s a Titan.”

 

  “Like Godzilla?” Jack said.

 

  “Yeah.”

 

  “Woah.” Jack was shocked. “Magic sister. Pretty cool.” He looked down at his hands. “Am I a Bonded, too? That would be awesome! It could run in the family. Imagine all the power I would have!”

 

  Cara didn’t like the sound of that. “Being a Bonded isn’t about power.”

 

  “How would you know?” Jack said harshly. “You’ve been a Bonded for three days and your suddenly an expert?”

 

  Cara looked away and didn’t answer. Jack always got like this; she knew that the best way to calm that bullyish, greedy streak in him was just to ignore what he was saying.

 

  There was a period of silence between them. Cara noticed the girl next to her stealing looks at her warily. She kept her eyes focused forward, waiting for her to make the first move. No stalker was getting the luxury of making her uncomfortable enough to speak first.

 

  “Hey,” the girl finally said.

 

  Cara turned. “Hi.”

 

  “I’m Madison.” She stuck out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

 

  Cara gave her an odd look-what kid introduced themselves by shaking hands? She returned the gesture with a shake of her own. “I’m Cara.”

 

  “I’m sorry about the airport. About-About taking a photo of you.” Madison looked embarrassed.

 

  “Yeah, that was a super creepy thing to do,” Cara said.

 

  “I know. But I had to. My mom wanted me to track you down because we’re both kids.” Madison’s eyes trailed to the other woman from the parking lot. “I think she might want us to be friends.”

 

  Cara wasn’t so sure she was ready to jump into friendships with Monarch agents so quickly. “That’s your mom?” she asked.

 

  “Yeah. She’s really cool. She invented the ORCA.”

 

  “What’s the ORCA?”

 

  “It’s a device that lets us communicate with the Titans.” Madison looked proud. “My mother worked on it with my dad. It’s one of the greatest inventions history will ever know.”

 

  “Yeah, if it worked,” a man said as he walked past them. He smirked playfully when Madison shot him a vicious glare.

 

  “Who’s that?” Cara asked.

 

  “That’s Dr. Stanton.” Madison rolled her eyes. “He’s a dick. If I were you, I’d stay as far away from him as possible.”

 

  Cara laughed. “He seems like a grade-A bastard.”

 

  “Oh, you have no idea.” Madison laughed with her.

 

  “So, what did he mean, if it worked? The ORCA, I mean.”

 

  “Oh.” Madison shrugged. “It’s nothing to worry about. The ORCA works fine. It’s just, you know, malfunctioned a few times. We tried using it to talk to Mothra, when it-she-first hatched.” She shuddered. “It didn’t work so well.”

 

  “Wow, you don’t sound like you enjoyed that experience.” Cara focused her mind on Mothra. “Mothra? Was it really that bad?”

 

  No answer. Cara tried again. “Mothra? Did you hear me?”

 

_“Yes, I heard you.”_

 

  “Oh. Um, okay.” Cara looked down at her hands. Had she said something that had gotten on Mothra’s nerves? Was she mad they had joined up with Monarch, if only temporarily? If that was the case, it made no sense; Mothra was the one who had said the Monarch agents were trustworthy.

 

  “Is Mothra okay?” Madison asked. “Is she...talking to you right now?”

 

  “She’s nervous, I think.” Cara shook her head. “Whatever’s in Antarctica...she’s on edge about it.”

 

  “I’m sure things will be okay,” Madison assured. “My mom knows what she’s doing. The Titans are here to help.”

 

  “Buckle up, you guys.” Dr. Stanton yelled to them. “We’re here.”

 

  “Already?” Noah clicked his seat belt into place. “Wow, that was fast.”

 

  “The Argo is the fastest plane to ever be built,” Madison explained. “What would take 18 hours for a regular aircraft only takes 8 for us.”

 

  They felt a big jolt as the Argo descended, and a lurch as it landed. A Monarch soldier handed out winter coats to them, along with gloves and boots. Cara was grateful for the commodities. She hated the cold, and did not appreciate this mystery Titan being in freaking Antarctica.

 

  When they got off, it was brutal. The wind pierced through Cara’s coat with chilling harshness, to the point where it was almost painful. She pulled her hood over her head, braced herself against the Antarctic weather, and followed the Monarch officials toward Outpost 32, Noah and Eddie by her sides.

 

  The outpost was built into a huge ice cave, the building extending outward in a sort of hanger. The numbers 32 were printed on the side, similar to the facility surrounding the Temple of the Moth. It was strangely quiet when they walked inside, and to Cara’s horror, she realized that all around the hanger, dead bodies of Monarch scientists could be seen, laying in pools of their own blood.

 

  “Shit,” Noah breathed. “What the hell are we walking into?”

 

  “Keep close,” Dr. Chen instructed. “Do not wander.”

 

  They proceeded further into the outpost with caution. Cara felt Jack maneuver his hand into hers. She gave it a little squeeze, comforted by her brother’s presence.

 

  “I’m scared,” Madison murmured.

 

  “Join the club,” Eddie whispered.

 

  “Whatever is in this outpost must be really powerful,” Jack said. He didn’t sound terrified, only a bit shaky and a little intrigued. Cara, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with this outpost. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be safe. She didn’t want to be walking into what could possibly be a suicide trip.

 

 _“Cara,”_ Mothra said. _“Are you feeling okay?”_

 

  “Yup, never better,” Cara lied. “What’s up?” 

 

_“I would like to apologize for my silence from before. I am not mad at you. I just do not wish to be here, right now.”_

 

  “Than why did you say that we should come?”

 

_“Because if these eco-terrorists, as Monarch calls them, awake what is inside this outpost, the world is doomed. We need to stop what is coming, if we can.”_

 

  Cara shivered; it wasn’t from the cold. “Who’s in here, Mothra? Do you know them?”

 

_“Yes. I wish I didn’t. I wish he were dead. He is the only creature I am truly afraid of. Cara, I am afraid.”_

 

  Cara’s heart ached to comfort her Titan when she heard the absolute helplessness in her voice. “Hey, don’t be scared, okay? We’re together, and as long as we’re together, we can’t lose. Whatever is in there, it’s no match against the two of us. We’ll be fine, okay?”

 

  Mothra let out a breath. _“Yes. You are right. We are together. That’s what matters.”_

 

  The inside of the outpost was slightly warmer than the exterior, but not by much. Like Outpost 61, there were plenty of computers tracking the Titan’s vitals. A set of two elevators were the only way down to where the Titan was being kept.

 

  “I think only Madison, Cara, and I should go on,” Dr. Russell said. She held a box in one hand-the ORCA, Cara assumed. “It’ll be safer.”

 

  “Hey, there’s no way we’re leaving Cara!” Noah said. “What if something goes wrong? She could be killed!”

 

  “It’ll be easier to concentrate on keeping the Titan under control with less people there.” Dr. Russell held authority in her voice, one trained specifically for kids. “She’ll be safe. She has Titanus Mosura to protect her.”

 

  “Mothra,” Cara said. Something about the way Dr. Russell was acting felt off. She was desperate to keep the others up here...and from the looks of it, she had no weapon on her. What if the eco-terrorists attacked?

 

  Dr. Russell met her gaze. “Yes,” she said slowly, stoically. “Mothra.”

 

  The two of them had an intense staring contest. Madison touched her mother’s arm. “Mom, it's time to go.”

 

  Dr. Russell gave the others a quick nod, than briskly made her way to the elevators. Cara went to follow, but was stopped when Jack grabbed her arm.

 

  “Let me come with you,” he said.

 

  “No, it’s not safe.”

 

  “You're going down there with nothing to defend yourself. We don’t even know if we can trust them.” He pointed to Dr. Russell and Madison. “It could be a trap. None of this feels right.”

 

  “I’m with Jack, Cara,” Noah agreed. “This doesn’t feel safe. At least let us come with you for backup.”

 

  “No,” Cara said. “You have to stay up here. If anything goes wrong, I rather have you guys safe than dead. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

 

  They all looked worried. Jack sighed. “Fine. Please come back up safely. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

 

  Cara smiled. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Your not getting rid of me anytime soon.”

 

  “Be careful, Cara,” Eddie murmured. They all embraced, then stood back as Cara turned and headed after Dr. Russell and Madison. She stepped into the elevator and stood between them, staring after her friends and the other Monarch agents with worry.

 

  The elevator doors clicked shut. Cara’s heart hammered with anxiety as it descended into the ice.

 

               ————————-

  The chamber was gigantic. It was even bigger than the one in Mothra’s temple. As the elevator eased to a halt at their destination, Cara observed how her companions were reacting. Madison looked terrified; Dr. Russell looked surprisingly calm. She had the ORCA clutched tightly to her side, as if the device was her lifeline.

 

  The doors opened, they stepped out, and Cara was met with quite a sight.

 

  Encased behind a wall of thick ice, so large that it was almost too big to fathom, was the silhouette of the biggest creature Cara had ever seen. It appeared to be twice the size of Mothra, maybe even bigger. The ice prevented her from seeing it clearly, but from the looks of it, it looked reptilian, with giant wings and three heads.

 

  “Dr. Russell.” A man walked over to them, speaking with a British accent. From the looks of him, he was one of the eco-terrorists that had taken over the outpost; Cara could see them everywhere, all of their focus trained on her. “A pleasure. Did you bring what we need?”

 

  “Yes.” Dr. Russell nodded. She looked to Cara. “Cara, this is Alan Jonah. He is the leader of the eco-terrorists, and the person who is going to help us change the world.”

 

  It took Cara a solid ten seconds to comprehend what she had just said.

 

  Alan Jonah.

 

  Eco-terrorist leader.

 

  Changing the world.

 

  “Aren’t we here to _stop_ him?” she asked. “He’s the bad guy! That was the mission! Right?”

 

  She looked at Dr. Russell, than at Alan Jonah, then to Madison. “Am I missing something? Dr. Russell, what is going on?”

 

  “You didn’t tell her?” Jonah said.

 

  “I couldn’t,” Dr. Russell said. “Not with Monarch listening.”

 

  “Madison?” Cara asked. “Do you know what’s happening?”

 

  Madison hung her head. “I-I-”

 

  “Well, if you won’t explain it, I will.” Jonah focused on her. “Listen to me, girl. You are going to help us awaken this Titan. The world needs these super-species to bring order. If you do, you will be aiding in the preservation of the world.”

 

  “Preservation? There’s going to be no preservation! This thing will kill millions!”

 

  “As it is meant to do. That is its job. Kill off the virus. And that virus is us.”

 

  “Cara, please, we need you to do this,” Dr. Russell said. “You need to awaken this Titan.”

 

  “And what if I don’t?” Cara challenged, taking a step toward the elevator. Her eyes darted for alternate escape routes, but all she saw were the eco-terrorists closing in on her from all sides.

 

  “Then we will kill you.” Jonah gave her a deadly smile. “Right here. Right now.”

 

  She heard the clicks of guns cocking, saw at least three barrels pointed right at her head. She took another step back, becoming frantic. “Uh, Mothra?” she called. “A little help here?”

 

  No answer. Nothing but a faint hum. Cara thought she felt her chest tingling, but it was probably nothing but her imagination.

 

  “Choose your actions wisely, girl,” Jonah said. “Your oversized moth won’t save you from being brain dead.”

 

  There was a suspenseful pause.

 

  And then Madison suddenly took action. “Stop!” she cried, grabbing Cara’s wrist and yanking her close to her side. “I won’t let you hurt her! She’s my friend!”

 

  “Dr. Russell, please subdue your daughter.” Jonah put his hands in his pockets and leaned back, looking completely relaxed. “Our time is running out.”

 

  “Maddie-” Dr. Russell started.

 

  “Tell then to put the guns down,” Madison demanded.

 

  “Maddie, please-”

 

  “Now!” Madison’s voice ran through the chamber.

 

   Dr. Russell sighed tiredly. “Alan, please,” she said.

 

  Jonah motioned to his henchmen. The terrorists lowered their guns and put them back in their holsters.

 

  “Maddie, you know we have to do this,” Dr. Russell said. “It’s the key to coexistence. You know what’s going to happen if we don’t wake them up.”

 

  Madison looked like she didn’t know who to believe. She swallowed hard. “What if this _isn’t_ the right thing? What if-What if releasing this Titan will only make things worse?”

 

  “It’s going to,” Cara said. She took Madison’s hand. “Mothra told me. It’s going to be a disaster. If I awaken this Titan, so many people are going to die. Don’t let them force me, please.”

 

  “Maddie,” Dr. Russell said.

 

  Madison’s eyes were wide. Cara could see her debating with herself. “Madison, please,” she begged.

 

  “Madison.”

 

  Dr. Russell’s tone was commanding. It was the voice of a parent who was about to rebuke their child. Cara’s hopes fell slack when she saw Madison’s expression change to one of submissive obedience.

 

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, before letting go of her hand and stepping back.

 

  “Now, then,” Jonah said. He tilted his head to the ice wall. “The Titan?”

 

  Cara looked up at the wall, feeling sick. She didn’t have a choice; if she continued to refuse to awaken whatever was in there, she would be killed. Alan Jonah didn’t seem like a man with much patience. And there was no way she was going to leave her brother, friends, and Mothra to face this thing by themselves.

 

  She walked to the wall, numb with fear at each step she took. The silhouette of the Titan loomed above her in frozen menace.

 

  She placed a shaking hand on the ice. The chill seeped through her glove into her palm, creeping over her skin like a contagious disease.

 

  Energy was flickering from the monster within. She closed her eyes, focusing on it. Pulling it toward her.

 

_Wake up._

 

  The energy jumped, then flared with newfound strength.

 

_Wake up._

 

  The ice began to crack.

 

_Wake up now._

 

  And then there was a sickening _crunch_ , and thick shards began falling to the ground.

 

  A rumble filled the chamber.

 

  The ice wall broke.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  


	12. False King Rising

 The moment the ice started breaking, warning bells started screaming in Cara’s head.

 

  She turned and bolted, all thoughts on Dr. Russell, Alan Jonah, and the rest of the eco-terrorists forgotten. She grabbed Madison’s arm, bringing her along to the elevators and away from whatever was breaking out of the ice wall. She didn’t know why she chose to possibly save the other’s girl’s life. Maybe it was because she didn’t seem as terrible as her mother. Maybe it was because she saw Madison as a friend, as well. Whatever the reason was, there was no time to dwell on it; the ice was falling fast, and with it, a deep, malevolent presence that she knew could only be felt by a Bonded.

  

  He was awake.

  

  He was coming.

  

  And he was ready to kill.

  

  “Mom!” Madison shrieked. “Mom, run! Cara, wait, we have to save my mom!”

  

  “She’ll make it! Get ready to grab her!” Cara slammed her hand on the elevator button. The doors opened, and they ran inside. The lights in the chamber flickered, and sirens began to wail and screech.

  

  The adults were running to them, their faces stricken with panic. Madison reached out and hauled her mother in beside her, tears streaming down her face as they embraced. Alan Jonah and a few of the other eco-terrorists piled in with them. The others went for the second elevator.

  

  As if the machine was sensing that they were in an emergency, the elevator doors slammed shut with urgency. The cables groaned as it whisked them up to the surface, faster than it should have seemingly been going.

  

  “Ready the helicopter,” Alan Jonah was saying into a walkie-talkie. “Set course to the base.” He looked to Dr. Russell. “That machine of yours better work.”

  

  “It will,” Dr. Russell said. “I know it. Cara can help us-”

  

  “I’m not helping you with anything,” Cara snapped. “You made me wake that thing up. That’s all your getting out of me.”

  

  “Perhaps you don’t know what type of situation your in,” Alan Jonah growled. “You are with us, now, girl. Monarch will not be able to save you.”

  

  “I don’t _need_ Monarch to save me,” Cara snarled. “I can save _myself._ ”

  

  The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. They ran out, heading back into the Antarctic landscape. Cara saw Dr. Chen and a bunch of Monarch soldiers waiting.

  

  “Dr. Russell, what happened?” she called. “Is the Titan stable?” Her eyes went to Alan Jonah, and they hardened.

  

  “I think you should get back to the Argo,” Dr. Russell said. She kept stealing glances back at the outpost. “Now.”

  

  “What?” Dr. Chen questioned. “What do you-”

  

  The ground below them suddenly shook. Cara nearly lost her balance, falling into Madison, who caught her. Dr. Chen stumbled back. “What was that?” she yelled.

  

  The ground shuddered. The snow around the outpost began caving in. A huge hole formed beneath it, swallowing the building into its dark depths.

  

  “What is happening?” Cara heard someone yell. Madison was still holding onto her hand, squeezing it so hard that it was beginning to hurt. Noah, Eddie, and Jack were nowhere to be seen; she hoped that Dr. Chen had brought them back to the Argo, where they were safe.

  

  Out of the snow and fog that came billowing up from the hole, a shadow could be seen.

  

  Something was rising out of the darkness.

  

  A tail.

  

  A great, golden tail that clattered like a rattlesnake’s as it lifted up and swung slowly through the air. Following it was a head. No, three heads. Three gigantic dragon heads, rising out of the ice in terrifying unison, their eyes a blood red. They were the eyes of the devil, holding within them everything humanity feared; destruction, devastation, and death.

  

  This was what Mothra was afraid of. This was the creature that was going to spell out the end of the world.

  

  “What the hell is that?” Madison screamed.

  

  “I have no idea!” Cara yelled back. The ground quivered again, and this time, two massive bat-like wings lifted out of the ground, ice cracking and flying everywhere. They braced against the ice, the talon-like spikes on the edges digging into the frozen earth as the Titan heaved itself upward and out of the hole. Hind legs as thick as tree trunks brought the monster to its full height. 

  

  Cara wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. But her voice died at the sight of the terrifying creature, her breath hitching in her throat and her legs rooting to the ground like they were frozen solid. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could only watch in horror as the nightmare before her took up her entire line of sight and dominated everything with its presence.

 

  The middle head opened its mouth, revealing wickedly sharp teeth and a flicking forked tongue. For a moment, Cara thought it was going to roar, or breathe fire, or do _something_ remotely dragon-like. Instead though, it began to speak.

  

 **_“Do you feel that, brothers? The chill of the wind? The feeling of snow under our feet? We are free. Free from the prison that held us. After all these years…”_ ** He cast his glare down onto the humans below him.  ** _“I think, despite how much pain it gives me to say this, that we should give the credit to these bugs, here.”_ **

****

**_“No.”_ ** The head to the right sniffed the air, lips curled. **_“Not just any bug. A_ ** **Bonded** **_bug.”_ **

****

  All three heads turned to her.

  

  Not a very good sign.

  

 **_“Sneaky little bug,”_ ** the middle head hissed. **_“I recognize you. You are the Bonded of that annoying insect.”_ **

****

**_“Oooooo, the queen is here!”_ ** The left head giggled. Unlike the other two, he didn’t seem as malicious. **_“Why don’t we say hello? Should we pay our respects?”_ **

****

**_“No, you fool!”_ ** the middle head snarled. **_“She is not our queen! She is in the way of our plans! Do you not remember how she aided Godzilla in our defeat?”_ **

****

  The left head winced at the name. **_“Oooooh,_ ** **_yes. Godzilla. Well, if she helped him, we must kill her!”_ **

****

  The middle head sighed, and Cara thought that if he had hands, he would have slapped the left head silly. **_“Yes, San. That is what we have been trying to do from the start.”_ **

****

  “Fire!” Cara heard someone yell. The Monarch soldiers all began to shoot at the Titan simultaneously, the sound of gunshots ringing through the air. The bullets bounced off of the monster harmlessly, leaving no marks.

  

 **_“Aw, they want to play!”_ **The middle head bent down, gently nudging one soldier with his snout. Cara took advantage of the momentary distraction. “Come on!” she whispered to Madison. “If we go now we can make it!”

  

  “What about my mom?” Madison asked. She was looking desperately around for Dr. Russell.

  

  “She’s on Alan Jonah’s helicopter. See?” Cara pointed to a large helicopter not too far away. Surely enough, Dr. Russell could be seen outside it, waving to them and beckoning for them to come to her.

  

  Madison slowed down. “Than shouldn’t we go with her? She’s my mom!”

  

  “Yeah, and she forced me to wake _him_ up!” Cara indicated the huge three-headed dragon. “I’m not letting her wake up any more Titans! We’re going with Monarch!”

  

  Madison hesitated, staring at her mother for another second, before nodding and allowing Cara to pull her toward the Argo. “Your right. She’ll be okay. She has the ORCA.”

  

  The Argo was parked not too far away. She could see Dr. Chen, Mr. Serizawa, Noah, and Eddie standing in the hanger, all waving to her and hollering her name. At first, she was overcome with relief to see Eddie and Noah were safe, than realized someone was missing.

  

  Jack.

  

  Where was he?

  

  Why wasn’t he on the plane?

  

  She whirled around to look behind her, but there was no one else except the firing Monarch soldiers and the Titan.

  

  The middle head’s lips were curled in annoyance. **_“I’ve had enough of this. These humans dare to sting us with their useless weapons? Ha! Pathetic.”_ ** He looked slyly to his two partners. **_“Well then, brothers, what do you think? Should we show these bugs what a spiteful god does to its enemies?”_ **

****

  They both licked their lips, savagery in their eyes. Together, the three heads reared upward, their necks glowing with a bright yellow. All around the Titan, storm clouds crackled and boomed with lightning and thunder. The Monarch soldiers stopped firing, in awe at the sight.

  

  “Oh, shit,” Cara breathed.

  

  Beams of what looked to be electricity came streaming out of each head’s mouth. They vaporized the Monarch soldiers in an instant, leaving no trace of them left. Cara shielded her eyes from the disturbing spectacle. Never had she seen something so horrific. Never had she seen so many people die.

  

  When the heads were finished, they focused on Cara again. The middle head bared his teeth. **_“Now, then, little bug, where were we?”_ **

****

  “W-W-Who, m-me?” Cara stuttered.

  

**_“Yes, you. We know who you are and what you are. We know you are the Bonded of the incompetent moth.”_ **

****

**_“You are a threat to us,”_ **the right head hissed.

  

 **_“And for that,”_ ** the left growled. **_“-you must die.”_ **

****

  “Wait!” Cara threw her hands over her head. _As if that would stop you from getting vaporized._ “I-I-I don’t even know who you are!”

  

  The middle head grinned-it was not a pretty sight. **_“I am Ichi.”_ **

****

**_“I am Ni,”_ **the right head said.

 

 ** _“I am San,”_ **the left head rumbled.

**“** ** _ **A** nd together…” _ ** Now all three heads spoke at once. **_“We are Ghidorah.”_ **

 

_Ghidorah._

****

_Ghidorah._

_Why does that sound so familiar?_

_Why do I feel like I’ve met him before?_

  Because she probably did. In at least one of her past lives.

  

  “Cara, we have to go.” Madison tugged at her sleeve. “Please, I don’t know what type of conversation your having with that thing, but we have to go before it kills us!”

  

  “No, I can’t! My brother is still out there! He’s not on the plane!”

  

 **_“Ah, yes, your brother,”_ ** Ichi said. **_“I was just going to tell you about him. You do not need to worry about him anymore.”_ **

****

  “What do you mean?” Cara yelled. She balled her hands into fists. “What did you do to him? _What did you do to my brother?_ ”

  

**_“We have done nothing to him. We have simply claimed him for ourselves.”_ **

****

  Cara’s world was falling apart.

  

  Her brother.

 

  Jack.

  

  Jack was dead.

  

  They killed Jack.

  

  He was gone.

  

  “ _You bastard_!” she screamed. “ _I’m gonna fucking kill you for this_!”

  

 **_“Tsk, tsk, such language!”_ ** Ichi shook his head. **_“My, my, Mothra truly needs to teach you some better manners, little bug. Do not worry, you will have plenty of time to improve. After you are reborn.”_ ** Once again, their throats began to turn yellow. **_“Goodbye, tiny Bonded.”_ **

****

  “Wait, what?” Cara shrieked, the heat of the incoming lightning rays hitting her in the face like a truck. “No-No, You can’t kill me! You can’t!”

  

**_“The way I see it, we can do whatever we want. Because we are your king. And Bondeds who do not kneel are not needed.”_ **

****

  “Cara!” Madison screamed.

  

  Cara’s neck began to tingle.

  

_We can’t die._

  Warmth poured through her arms and legs.

  

_I won’t kneel._

  Her body began to glow.

  

_He is not our king!_

  Light erupted out of her, the warmth blasting out of her like a hurricane. There was a loud screech from above, the billowing of mighty wings. Cara looked up.

  

  Mothra hovered above her, shining with such a powerful light she could barely see her except for her beautiful, shining wings. Cara laughed, letting out a whoop of pure joy. The sight of her Titan brought fresh vigor and bravery to her, and she turned back to the three-headed dragon, feeling strong.

 

  Ghidorah backed away, snarling and roaring in surprise and alarm. **_“Mothra!”_ ** Ichi snarled. **_“You dare show your treacherous face to your king?”_ **

****

_“You are no king of mine!”_ Mothra warbled. _“And if you dare to threaten my Bonded and her allies again, I assure you, worse things shall happen to you than today!”_

  Ghidorah laughed; it was a sickening sound. **_“You think you scare us, moth? You are weak! You are pathetic! We could kill you with a flick of our wing!”_ **

****

_“You are not wrong,”_ Mothra said. _“Every living thing has weaknesses. Including you. You are weak. You are pathetic. You are not as perfect as you think yourself to be.”_

  Ghidorah roared with outrage. **_“How dare-!”_ **

****

_“I am something you are not,”_ Mothra interrupted. _“I am something you will never be.”_

  

**_“Oh, really? And what would that be?”_ **

****

  If Cara could see Mothra’s face, she knew she’d see her smiling. _“I am not alone.”_

  A tremble pulsed through Cara’s boots.

  

  Something was surging out of the ice.

  

  Jagged dorsal plates. Blue-black scales. Angry gray eyes that glowered at Ghidorah with burning hatred.

  

  Godzilla.

  

  

****

  


	13. Antarctic Showdown

_**“You!”**_ Ichi snarled. The three heads were recoiled, hissing and spitting with venomous rage. **_“You dare come here? You dare show yourself to us?”_**

 

  Godzilla snuffed out a breath from his nose. His voice was a rumbling growl, commanding and deep. _“Last time I checked, these are my waters, not yours.”_

  Ghidorah cackled. **_“They may be now. But once we kill you, our reign will begin, and this world will be ours.”_ **

****

_“You are not of this world. You will never rule it. I defeated you once. I can do it again.”_

Ghidorah rose up, spreading his wings. Trying to make himself bigger, more intimidating. **_“Let’s see if you still have what it takes to fight.”_ **

****

_“Believe me, I do,”_ Godzilla growled.

  

  The two giants stood facing each other. Cara could feel the tension between them in the air; could see that these two had a deep history between each other. From the sound of it, she had been a part of their rivalry, too. That didn’t mean she wanted to get caught up in the middle of it. She didn’t feel like getting trampled today.

  

  “I think we should get out of here,” Madison whispered.

  

  “Agreed.” Cara looked up at Mothra. “Mothra? Can you get us out of here?”

  

  When she spoke, Godzilla focused down on her. His hard expression softened into one of complete shock. _“Cara?”_ he said.

  

  She couldn’t respond. Didn’t have time to. Because at that moment Ghidorah let out a shrill battle cry, and began to charge.

  

  Godzilla met the challenge with a roar of his own, and started running for Ghidorah. Cara shrieked as the ground shook, the footsteps of the massive beings each like an earthquake. She stumbled back, fell, and was met with the feeling of soft fur.

  

  Mothra stood behind her. She had herself lowered, wings drooping down. _“Get on,”_ she said.

  

  “What?” Cara exclaimed. She stared at Mothra’s back in utter horror. “We can’t fly on your-!”

  

 _“Get ON!”_ Mothra’s mouth opened and her mandibles extended with a screech. If Cara hadn’t been able to understand her, she would have been terrified by the sight.

  

  Without further argument, Cara clamored onto the Titan’s back, using her white fur to pull herself upward. She sat comfortably between her wings, holding on with her legs. She looked down at Madison and held out her hand.

  

  Madison took a step away. “W-We’re seriously going to _fly_ out of here?”

  

  “There’s no other way!” Cara yelled. “We need to get back to the Argo!”

  

  Madison looked at Ghidorah and Godzilla. The two of them were battling it out, biting and clawing and roaring. Cara felt Mothra shift. _“We have to go, my child.”_

  “Madison, please! You need to trust me!” Cara stretched her hand out further.

  

  Madison hesitated for what felt like an hour. Finally, she grabbed Cara’s hand. She helped the other girl up, heaving her on behind her. Cara felt Madison wrap her arms around her waist and bury her head into her shoulder. “Alright,” she murmured. “Let’s go.”

 

  Mothra stood up to her full height. She raised her brilliant wings and began to flap. Cara’s stomach flipped when they lifted into the air, and then they were airborne, streaking at an increasingly fast speed for the waiting Argo. Cara held onto Mothra’s fur tightly, gripping her sides with her legs and crouching forward, trying not to think of what would happen if she and Madison fell off of Mothra’s back.

  

  Suddenly, Mothra tilted, and they were heading back _toward_ the battle. Cara felt Madison’s grip on her tighten. “Mothra, where are we going?” she yelled, confused.

  

_“To aid our king. This time, we shall join the fight.”_

  She tucked her wings and swooped downward, causing both girls to yelp. Cara watched with impending anxiety as they got closer and closer to Ghidorah and Godzilla. “What can I do to help?”

  

_“Hold out your hand. Call on your light. You can channel it into a weapon. You’ve done this numerous times, before.”_

  Cara shakily lifted her right hand. She focused on Ghidorah, trying to re-due what she had done at Mothra’s temple. She concentrated hard, biting her lip.

  

  Her hand lit up a bright blue. Heat congregated to the center of her palm. And than a steady beam of pure light came firing out, launching straight for Ghidorah. It hit his wing with a loud _crack_ , crawling over his scales like glowing veins.

 

  Ghidorah screeched out in pain. The scent of burning flesh quickly filled the air. Cara cut the heat ray off, her hand quickly returning to normal as it disappeared.

  

  “Woah!” Madison cried. “I didn’t know you could do that!”

  

  “I didn’t, either!” Cara flexed her fingers, then laughed. “That was awesome!”

  

 _“I am glad that you two find your powers mystifying, but I hate to point out that we now have Ghidorah’s attention.”_ Mothra banked to the right. _“Prepare for some evasive action.”_

 

Ghidorah's three heads whipped to stare at them, furious. He shook out his wing, wincing from the mangled section of skin, then opened his three mouths. **_“You think that is enough to stop us? Ha! That pathetic god ray is nothing compared to what we can do!”_ **

****

  The three heads all simultaneously breathed out lightning beams, all directed towards them. Mothra dived, narrowly avoiding them by an inch. Cara held on tight, her eyes squeezed shut.

  

  The lightning was cut off when Godzilla barreled into Ghidorah with a ferocious bellow. His dorsal fins lit up with a bright blue, and than he released an attack of his own; atomic fire, hitting Ghidorah squarely in the chest, so powerful that Cara could feel the heat blow into her face as if she were standing right in front of it.

 

 Ghidorah screamed. He fell with a mighty _boom_ , snow and ice flying everywhere. Godzilla stood above him, teeth bared, blue flames licking at his parted jaws.

  

 **_“This isn’t over,”_ ** Ichi coughed. **_“We will not go down this easily. We_ ** **will** **_be king one day. And you will fall beneath our rage.”_ **

****

  Godzilla raised his arm, claws extended to deliver the fatal blow. _“Maybe in a few hundred years you will. But not today.”_

  Cara spotted movement near Godzilla’s feet. She gasped. “Godzilla, watch out!”

  

  It was too late. Ghidorah’s tail swiped his feet out from under him, sending Godzilla crashing down onto his back. The three-headed Titan stood up and leapt into the air, beating his huge wings and disappearing into the clouds. For a moment, Cara considered telling Mothra to go in pursuit, but knew that there was no use; Ghidorah was gone.

  

  They landed by Godzilla, and Cara was instantly intimidated by just how big he was. From the air his size hadn’t seemed so extraordinary. Here though, standing right next to him, he was the biggest thing she had ever seen.

  

  Godzilla shook snow off of his snout, rolling onto his stomach and bringing himself up onto all fours. He growled in frustration. _“Had him right where I wanted him. Dumb bastard is always managing to escape.”_

_“Come now, my king, do not be so angry with yourself,”_ Mothra said. _“Ghidorah is an intelligent trickster. You know it was not going to be that easy.”_

_“Yes, you are right, as always.”_ Godzilla sighed and looked at Mothra. He seemed much softer and friendlier-looking, now that Ghidorah was gone. _“It is good to see you again, Mothra. How long did it take you to be reborn?”_

_“Quite long. I just woke up a few weeks ago. It would have been longer if my Bonded had not come to me.”_ She nudged Cara fondly.

  

 _“Ah, yes. Your Bonded. I saw her before.”_ Godzilla turned his attention to Cara. _“How are you, Cara? Have you been well? It has been quite a while since we last saw each other.”_

  Cara shrank back towards Mothra. “I-I-um-”

  

 _“Is something wrong? Why do you look frightened? Certainly my dashing good looks do not repulse you.”_ Godzilla flashed his teeth, which was probably meant to be a smile. It looked to be anything but. Cara was petrified by the sight of how sharp they were.

  

 _“Godzilla,”_ Mothra gently said. _“She does not remember you.”_

  Godzilla blinked, momentarily looking blank, than laughed. _“Very amusing, Mothra. You certainly have not lost your sense of humor, have you?”_ He laughed again. _“Of course Cara remembers me. We are close. How could she not?”_

  Cara licked her lips, trying to summon up the courage to speak. She didn’t know how Godzilla would react to her telling him that she truly didn’t know who he was. Above her, Mothra churred softly, running a smaller foreleg soothingly down Cara’s back, reassuring her that it was okay to go on.

  

  “G-Godzilla,” Cara said.

  

  He looked at her. _“Yes?”_

  She tried to stop her voice from shaking. “M-Mothra isn’t joking. I-I really don’t remember you. I-I don’t remember anything from my past lives.”

  

  Godzilla was silent.

  

  And than anger creased his face. _“What did that golden bastard do to you?”_ he growled. _“What did he do to your mind? Did he_ dare _to hurt you?”_

  Cara flinched. Mothra hummed again and raised her wing protectively over her. _“Godzilla, you are scaring her. Please, do not produce anger that is not needed. Ghidorah has nothing to do with this. She does not remember anything because it took her so long to be reborn. Her memories were swept away by time.”_

  Godzilla relaxed. His nostrils flared, and a crestfallen look took him over. _“I am sorry,”_ he murmured. _“I hope that your memories return to you. I was very fond of you. After my Bonded was…”_ He trailed off, and Cara could have sworn she saw his eyes grow wet with tears.

  

 _“It will be alright, my king.”_ Mothra kept on a hopeful attitude. _“We will find your Bonded. She is out there, somewhere. I can sense that she is alive and well. The fire that burns within you lives on in her, and trust me, she is burning bright.”_

  Godzilla nodded. _“Yes, you are right. But I will not find her. She is safer without me. I can kill Ghidorah on my own.”_

_“You do not have to do this alone,”_ Mothra said. _“We can-”_

  “ _No,”_ Godzilla cut her off, rather sharply. _“This is my fight. I am king. That means I must do this alone.”_ He turned away. _“Thank you for your help, Mothra, but I think you should stay with Cara and teach her how to fight with her powers.”_

  Mothra straightened, her forelegs digging into the snow. _“But we can-”_

_“That is not a suggestion,”_ Godzilla said. _“That is an order.”_

  Mothra went silent. It seemed like she would argue, but instead she lowered her head and bowed. _“Yes, my king.”_

  Godzilla looked satisfied. He dipped his head to Cara. _“Keep Mothra safe, little one,”_ he said. _“You two need each other. The world may very well depend on your bond, one day.”_

  Cara nodded. “I will. Thank you.”

  

  Godzilla turned back to where he had arrived, then paused. He looked down at Madison, who had been silent the entire conversation. He tilted his head.

  

 _“Have I met you, before?”_ he asked.

  

  Madison blinked. “I-I’m sorry,” she said. “I can’t understand what your saying.”

  

  Godzilla huffed. Without another word, he went and dove back into the hole he had created, disappearing under the Antarctic Ocean below.

  

  

   

  

  


	14. Castle Bravo

  “We’re really not letting Godzilla take on Ghidorah by himself, are we?” Cara asked. They were flying away from the late Outpost 32 beside the Argo. The wind was cold, but Mothra’s body heat, added on with the winter gear Monarch had provided, was enough to fight off the chill and make it a comfortable ride.

  

 _“Of course not,”_ Mothra replied. _“Godzilla may be king, but I am queen. He believes that he must do this on his own. But he does not have to.”_

  “Why does he insist on fighting by himself? Ghidorah was giving him a run for his money, I could tell. It would be easier to defeat him with allies.”

  

 _“That is correct. Unfortunately, Godzilla refuses to acknowledge it.”_ Mothra sighed. _“Ghidorah is not of this world, my child. He is an invasive species, hailing from a place in the cosmos that only he knows of. Many, many, many years ago, he came to Earth with two other Titans, calling themselves the Planet Killers. The Titans of the world fought valiantly against them, but we began to suffer blows when the humans started to attack.”_

  “Why were they attacking?” Cara asked. “Didn’t they know you guys were fighting for the good?”

  

_“No. The humans did not understand that we were trying to save the world. So much devastation happened due to our battles, the humans abandoned the term of ‘good Titan’ and ‘bad Titan,’ and just adopted the idea that all Titans had to be destroyed.”_

  “And that’s when you guys created Bondeds,” Cara said.

  

_“Yes. Bondeds helped the humans understand that we were there to aid them. Eventually, we all worked together to defeat Ghidorah and his friends.”_

  “I read a book like that once,” Cara murmured. “It was about humans and monsters working together to defeat the Greek gods.”

  

_“This story was probably based off of the battles that happened so long ago. I am surprised such tales still exist to be remembered.”_

  “But what does this have to do with Godzilla not wanting our help?”

  

  Mothra’s voice was a low warble, with a touch of agony and mourning to it. _“Godzilla’s Bonded...she was very young. The two of them barely got to know each other before she was brutally murdered by Ghidorah. It was a horrible time...I still remember the fear I felt like it was yesterday. The fear that you were next on Ghidorah’s list.”_

  “Oh-Oh god. That’s horrible. He just straight out murdered her? How old was she?”

  

_“About four years old in human age.”_

  Cara felt sick. “That’s the cruelest thing I’ve ever heard. Ghidorah really shows no mercy, does he?”

  

_“No, my child. He certainly does not.”_

  They flew on in silence for a bit, the only sounds being the flapping of Mothra’s wings and the engines of the Argo. Madison was asleep, her head snuggled close to the crook of Cara’s neck, her breathing heavy and peaceful. She deserved a break after today; her mind was probably reeling with everything that had happened.

  

  “Did he love her?” Cara quietly asked.

  

 _“What?”_ Mothra said.

  

  “His Bonded. Did Godzilla love her?”

 

  Mothra trilled sadly. _“He adored her. She was his world. Those times were the only moments when you would see him truly smile. What I’d give to relive them, just one more time.”_

  Cara could feel Mothra’s sadness seeping into her bones; but then it was chased out by a flicker of hope.

  

  “You said Bondeds get reborn along with their Titans,” she said. “That means Godzilla’s Bonded could still be out there. We could find her!”

  

_“Yes, this is true. But Godzilla blames himself for her death. He thinks that it is better to live without her and forget than to find her again and remember. If he does not search for her, she is safe. For now.”_

  “That ‘for now’ sounds very ominous.”

  

_“It should. Titans can sense Bondeds, regardless if it is their Bonded or not. It is only a matter of time before Ghidorah tracks Godzilla’s Bonded down.”_

  “Well, then, we need to find her before he does,” Cara said. “We can’t let him kill her again. We can’t let him take her like he took my brother.”

  

  She got no response from Mothra, only a slight hum and than nothing. Cara was taken aback by her cold attitude about Jack's death; just because she hadn’t  known him very well didn’t mean she had to act like a jerk about it.

  

_Oh god, what am I going to tell Mom and Dad?_

  Just the thought of telling her parents that Jack was dead made her want to vomit. Cara shook the feeling away and focused on the only calming thing she could pinpoint-Madison’s breathing. She would figure something out. For now, they had to focus on stopping Ghidorah and finding Godzilla’s Bonded, before it was too late.

  

  They were flying over wide ocean when she saw it. At first, Cara didn’t know exactly what it was; just a small black dot on the horizon. But as they got closer, she realized that it was something bigger-and before she knew it, they were flying to an oil rig.

  

 _“It seems,”_ Mothra said. _“that we have arrived at another Monarch outpost.”_

  “It’s huge,” Cara said in awe. “What Titan are they keeping here?”

  

_“I do not think the Titan that was held here is asleep any longer.”_

  Cara woke Madison up with a poke to her side. “Hey,” she whispered. “Are you awake?”

  

  Madison made a quiet whimpering sound. She lifted her head and blinked. “Where are we?” she mumbled.

  

  “At some Monarch outpost. We’re gonna land.”

 

 Mothra dropped down along with the Argo, mimicking it’s rapid descent toward the oil rig’s landing pad. Cara flinched, expecting an impact, but it never came. Instead, the landing pad that they were aiming for opened, revealing a shaft that went down- _way_ down. It was large enough for the Argo to fit through, and as Mothra tucked her wings and followed it, big enough for her, as well. It functioned as the central space for a vast underwater building. Every ten or fifteen meters they passed a railed-off floor, bustling with people; people who stopped to gawk at Mothra as they went about their daily duties.

  

  Pipes of various sizes and lengths ran down the shaft, What they carried within them Cara didn’t know, but she was sure oil was not it. All sorts of scaffolding, ladders, and elevators festooned the surfaces of the tunnel. It was nothing like she had ever seen. It had to be the biggest outpost she had seen thus far.

  

  It was a busy, busy place. It had to be the home base of Monarch.

  

  “This is incredible,” Madison gasped.

  

  “I know, right?” Cara agreed. “Who knew this was out here? It looked like just a regular oil rig to me.”

  

  “My mom never talked about this place,” Madison said. “She never mentioned Monarch having _anything_ this big. And I thought Outpost 61 was impressive.”

  

  The Argo continued on slowly. Peering over Mothra’s back, Cara could see that they were nearing water. A submarine could be seen resting idle in a dock. Multiple people were staring up at them, awaiting their arrival.

  

  The Argo came to a hover, then shifted, settling softly in an impressively large bay. Mothra landed beside it, tucking her wings close to her sides as not to disturb anything with movement.

  

  “Guess this is our stop,” Cara said. She swung her legs over and slide slowly down Mothra’s lowered wing, helping Madison do the same. Her vision suddenly swam as a bright light flared, and Mothra was then gone, returning to her dormant form within Cara’s body. She was glad to feel that welcome familiarity of wholeness that came with her Titan returning to her; did Bondeds with Titans like Ghidorah feel the same warmth?

  

  The Argo’s back opened, and to her relief and joy, Noah and Eddie were the first ones to debark. They cried out in happiness at the sight of her, and the three friends quickly came together and embraced.

  

  “Are you alright?” Noah asked. He was worriedly looking her over, searching for any bruises or wounds. “Are you hurt? What did that dragon do to you?”

  

  “I’m fine, Noah.” Cara smiled fondly up at him. “Nothing happened to me. Just a bit rattled, that’s all.”

  

  “We’re so glad your safe,” Eddie murmured. “We seriously thought you were going to get killed. I can’t believe you and Mothra fought a three-headed _dragon_!”

  

  “Ghidorah,” Cara corrected. “His name is Ghidorah.”

  

  A chill passed between them. Noah shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. “Cara, I wanted to tell you that-um-it’s really hard to say this, but Jack-”

  

  “-Didn’t make it.” Cara nodded. “I know.”

  

  They both were sympathetic. “We’re so sorry,” Eddie said. “We tried keeping him on the plane. But he said that he had to go out there and help you...said something about trying to reason with that thing-that Ghidorah.”

  

  “He couldn’t have reasoned with him,” Cara said. “Even if he tried. Jack wasn’t a Bonded. To Ghidorah, he was just another human pest.”

  

  “Uh, guys?” Madison tapped Cara’s shoulder. “We’ve got company.”

  

  A group of men and women in camouflage were approaching them, their stomps echoing through the underwater fortress. Cara heard Mothra groan. _“A greeting party. Such hospitality in this cold place.”_

  Their leader was unmistakable; a tough woman with a shaved head and the decorative symbols of a colonel. She studied the four kids with scrutinizing eyes, as if determining which one of them would be the best to pick out for shark food.

  

  “Kids.” Dr. Chen walked over. “This is Colonel Foster. She is the head of the G-Team.”

  

  “The G-Team?” Noah echoed, raising an eyebrow. 

  

  “G stands for Godzilla,” Colonel Foster said. Her attitude was no nonsense. “A kid of your intellect _should_ be able to figure that out.”

  

  “Colonel Foster is in charge of security and military details for Monarch,” Dr. Chen explained. “She will be aiding you in tracking down Ghidorah.”

  

  “So, your here to kick ass and take names?” Noah said.

  

  Colonel Foster grinned. “Precisely.”

  

  “Dr. Graham and I have some catching up to do with Colonel Foster,” Mr. Serizawa said. “Officer Barnes, could you please give the kids a tour of Castle Bravo? They will be staying with us for a while.”

  

  A man with a black, close-cropped beard stepped forward. “Certainly, sir.” He waved Cara and her friends over to him. “Come on, kids, I’ll show you how things are done around here.”

  

  They followed him to an elevator. “This is a really cool place you have here,” Noah said.

  

  “Thanks.” The pride in Barnes’ voice was unmistakable. “Castle Bravo is our newest facility. Build to track and study Godzilla in his own turf.”

  

 _“I wonder what our king thinks of these humans invading his waters,”_ Mothra said.

  

  “It’s big.” Madison watched the outside as they went up. “It’s really big.”

  

  “Biggest place Monarch’s ever built,” Barnes said. “You’ll get used to it. It’s literally just a giant square.”

  

  “Where are we even going?” Cara asked.

  

  “Up to command. Serizawa and Chen will be there in a minute. You’d like to see all the cool gadgets and gizmos, right? Isn’t that what you kids are into these days?”

  

  “Um, I have a Wii, if that counts as a cool gadget?” Eddie piped in.

  

  Barnes stared at them for a good moment, before shrugging and looking away. No more words were spoken between them for the rest of the ride.

  


	15. Betrayal

  The elevator stopped and let them out into a huge command center that was teeming with people. Cara stared, bug-eyed, at all of the technology-large screens of the globe, tracking news feeds and weather patterns, holograms of Godzilla walking or swimming, rows upon rows of computers. Across from them, a humongous observation window looked out into the dark ocean beyond, the only light coming from the command center itself.

 

  “Woah,” Eddie breathed. “This is way more impressive than my Wii.”

 

  “Yeah, I’d figure.” Barnes gestured forward. “Go on, look around. Just don’t try to play Mario Kart on any of the computers.”

 

  They went to explore, Madison trailing along with Cara, Noah and Eddie going the other way. Cara went over to one specific monitor that she had noticed; it was a map of the world with various locations marked. Some she recognized-the Yunnan Province, for instance. But most of these were completely new to her. There was a place called Skull Island marked down. Another, somewhere up by the Arctic.

 

  “What do you think this is?” she asked Madison.

 

  Her friend peered at the map and shrugged. “Maybe they’re Godzilla sightings?”

 

  “Your close,” a strange man said, walking up to them. “But not quite. These are the locations of all known Titans across the world.”

 

  “Who are you?” Cara asked.

 

  “Sam Coleman,” the man said. “Head of Technology. I’m a big fan of her mother’s work.” He nodded to Madison. “By the way, where is she?”

 

  Madison winced. Cara quickly changed the subject. “So, these are all Titans? How many are there?”

 

  “Seventeen and counting, after Godzilla.”

 

  “And how many do the public know about?”

 

  “Right now? Only three-and two of them are dead.” Coleman shrugged. “Thank Godzilla for that.”

 

  “Wow,” Madison breathed. She stared at the map with wide eyes. “And they all have Bondeds? That’s incredible.”

 

  “Uh, what’s a Bonded?” Coleman asked.

 

  “Nothing, don’t worry about it.” Cara took a deep breath and crossed her arms. “Can you tell us more about this?”

 

  “Most of them were found in deep hibernation,” Coleman said, indicating the map. “While others we’ve had to contain at top secret sights around the globe: Cambodia, Mexico, Australia. We even found one in Wyoming. They’re everywhere.”

 

 _“Wyoming is home to a particularly dangerous Titan,”_ Mothra said. _“Tell them to keep a close eye on that one.”_

 

  “Um, uh.” Cara paused, trying to figure out a way to word her sentence right. “D-Don’t let the Wyoming one escape.”

 

  “Really?” Coleman tilted his head. “Why?”

 

  “Just a hunch.” She glanced at Madison, than back to him. “Do people want them dead?”

 

  “The government does,” Coleman said. “But Dr. Russell and Mr. Serizawa believe some are...benevolent.”

 

  “That is correct.” The conversation was interrupted when Mr. Serizawa and a woman walked over to them. “Cara, please meet Dr. Vivienne Graham. She is an expert on Titans. She would like to ask you and Mothra some questions.”

 

 _“What type of questions?”_ Mothra asked suspiciously.

 

  “What type of questions?” Cara said for her.

 

  “I would just like to know if we can somehow find other Bondeds and their Titans,” Dr. Graham said. “Dr. Chen told me all about you and Titanus Mosura’s connection. If we can reunite other Titans with their humans, we can learn to coexist peacefully.”

 

  Mothra chirped approvingly. _“Ah, a human who wishes to do good! Perhaps there is some wholeness in Monarch, after all! Tell her I will be happy to aid in the search.”_

 

  “We’d be honored to help,” Cara said. “Mothra and I want to do whatever it takes to help Titans and humans live together in peace.”

 

  At that moment, there was a sudden beeping from the main monitors set up by the window. The adults startled, staring at them with tense confusion.

 

  “Incoming transmission from a closed source, sir,” someone said.

 

  “From where?” Mr. Serizawa asked.

 

  “Isla de la Mara.”

 

  “That’s odd.” He looked to Dr. Graham. “Did you get notification of this? Is something happening at Outpost 56?”

 

  “No,” Dr. Graham said. “It could be an emergency.”

 

  “Let it go through,” Mr. Serizawa ordered.

 

  The beeping stopped, and a person showed up on the screens.

 

  It was Dr. Russell.

 

  Cara sucked in a sharp breath. Inside of her, Mothra vibrated with rage. _“Villain!”_ she screamed. _“What is her business showing her face here?”_

 

  “Dr. Russell!” Coleman exclaimed. He sounded thrilled to see her. “How are you? Where have you been?”

 

  Dr. Russell ignored him. “Where is my daughter?” she asked.

 

  “Mom, I’m right here!” Madison pushed her way into the monitor’s line of sight.

 

  Dr. Russell’s face fell with relief. “Maddie, thank god,” she said. “Are you safe? Why didn’t you come with me back to Jonah’s helicopter?”

 

  “Jonah? You went with Jonah? Like, Alan Jonah, the eco-terrorist?” Coleman looked around at the other gathered people. “Did anyone else know about this?”

 

  Dr. Russell sighed. “I’m sorry I have to tell you under these circumstances, but I have no choice.” She set her jaw. “Many of you must be wondering how the Titan at Outpost 32 was awakened. I wanted to say that it was me. I released that Titan.”

 

  There were hushed gasps. Mr. Serizawa was still. Eddie and Noah slinked over to Cara and Madison.

 

  “I thought she was on our side,” Noah whispered.

 

  “Well, apparently not,” Eddie said back. He shot an accusing glare at Madison, who flinched.

 

  Cara moved herself closer to the other girl. “Eddie, don’t do that. She had no idea what Dr. Russell was doing. This has nothing to do with her.”

 

  “Why did you do it?” Dr. Chen was asking when they focused back onto the conversation. “Emma, we trusted you.”

 

  “I know. And I’m sorry. I wish there was another way. But you have to believe me. I’m saving the world.”

 

  “By releasing an apocalyptic threat?” Mr. Serizawa asked. “That does not make any sense.”

 

  “As impossible as it seems, it does. Hear me out, Ishiro. After Mark and I lost Andrew, I swore his death would not be in vain. That I would find an answer. A solution to why the Titans were rising. But as I dug deeper, I realized that they were here for a reason. And that despite all the years that we spent trying to stop them, we never dared to confront the truth.”

 

  “What truth?” Cara asked. She was genuinely curious; what could this woman be talking about?

 

  “Humans have been the dominant species for thousands of years, and look what’s happened. Overpopulation. Pollution. War. The mass extinction we feared has already begun. And we are the cause. We are the infection. But like all living organisms, the Earth unleashed a fever to fight this infection. Its original and rightful rulers. The Titans. They are part of the Earth’s natural defense system. A way to protect the planet, to maintain its balance. But if governments are allowed to contain them, destroy them, or use them for war, the human infection will only continue to spread. And within our lifetime, our planet will perish, and so will we. Unless we restore balance. They are the only thing that can reverse the destruction that we started. They are the only guarantee that life will carry on. But for that to happen, we must set them free.”

 

  Dr. Chen was venomous. “You are murdering the world,” she spat.

 

  “No,” Dr. Russell said. “Because as difficult as this will be, I promise, humanity will not go extinct. Using the ORCA, we will return to a natural order. A forgotten order where we coexisted in balance with the Titans. The first gods.”

 

 _“This woman is insane!”_ Mothra trilled; she sounded frantic, scared, terrified for the human race. _“This is not how we are supposed to live together! Without Bondeds to advocate for humanity, Titans will wipe you all out!”_

 

  “Dr. Russell!” Cara yelled. “Mothra says this isn’t the right way! She says that Titans need their Bondeds to communicate with humans! The ORCA will do nothing! You can’t do this!”

 

  “You can assure Mothra that Titans and Bondeds will reunite. You will help with that. You can speak to them. With the availability of the ORCA, humanity will actively be able to understand what the Titans need and want.”

 

  “This is a dangerous path!” Mr. Serizawa stepped in. “You are meddling with forces beyond our comprehension. Gambling with the lives of billions!”

 

  “And what are you gambling with, Serizawa?” Dr. Russell asked icily. “Monarch is broken. It’s on the verge of being shut down by a government whose only objective is to eradicate the creatures. And if that happens, what will our chances be?”

 

  “You are out of your goddamn _mind_!” Noah accused.

 

  “Mom, please, there has to be another way to do this!” Madison pleaded. “You can’t decide the fate of the world!”

 

  “I couldn’t be more sane, and _you_ couldn’t be any stronger,” Dr. Russell argued, turning her gaze to her daughter. “After we lost Andrew, I trained you to survive. At least now, you have a fighting chance!”

 

  “A fighting chance? _A fighting chance?_ Your about to cause the end of the world, and you say your giving Madison a _fighting chance_?” Cara took Madison’s hand into her own, feeling a strong sense of protectiveness for her friend. “It’s not all math! Some things you just can’t control!”

 

  “And there are some things you can’t run from!” Dr. Russell yelled back.

 

  “Mom,” Madison cut in. Her grip on Cara’s hand was tight. “This won’t bring him back to us.”

 

  Dr. Russell closed her eyes and breathed in slowly. She let it out gradually from her nose and sighed. “I can only urge you all to take refuge,” she said. “Over the last sixty years, Monarch has prepared bunkers around the world to save and restart civilization. I suggest you find them. And Cara. I will find you and Madison. We need you. Whether you like it or not.”

 

  The screens went dark as Dr. Russell signed off.

 

  “That _bitch_ ,” Dr. Chen hissed.

 

  “This is a total disaster,” Cara muttered. “She’s dooming us all. Mothra and I can’t fight _seventeen_ Titans! Ghidorah was hard enough!”

 

  “Madison, I’m sorry, but your mom is completely insane,” Noah said.

 

  Madison looked on the brink of a full meltdown. Her hand was clamped to Cara’s like she was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. “God,” she whimpered. “I didn’t know this was what she had in mind. She said we were going to help people.”

 

  “We have to stop her,” Cara said. “Godzilla already has his hands full with Ghidorah. He can’t afford to have more angry murder monsters on the loose to deal with.”

 

  “Hey, guys, just wanted to tell you that we’re leaving.” Barnes walked over to them. “Come on, Serizawa and Chen have given the order to head to the Argo. Let’s not keep them waiting.”

 

  “Wait, where are we going?” Eddie asked.

 

  Barnes was grim. “We’re going to stop Dr. Russell. Now come on.”

 

  Cara and her friends looked at each other, then followed him. Madison was still holding tightly to her hand.

 

  They were off to Isla de la Mara. Who knew what awaited them there.

  


	16. The Bonded of Ghidorah

   _Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean..._

  Jack didn’t remember what exactly had happened.

  

  He remembered running. Running towards the two giant monsters that were battling it out over the fallen remains of Outpost 32. He remembered feeling scared. Worried for his sister. And also strangely...excited.

  

  Something about the three-headed beast Godzilla was fighting made a rush of crazed glee and awe course through him. He wasn’t scared of it. Wasn’t scared of _him_.

  

  It was almost as if they had met before.

  

  He knew he was running to attempt to find Cara amidst all of the chaos and get her to safety. He was her older brother, for pete’s sake, he wasn’t just going to let her get crushed or possibly eaten. There was no way he would be able to live with himself if she got hurt.

  

  Cara was always the weak and vulnerable of the two of them. She needed him to protect her, or she’d make some stupid mistake and get herself killed.

  

  But he never made it to the center of the fight. Because before he knew it, a giant golden tail was sweeping toward him, and he was thrown halfway across the landscape into a big chunk of fallen ice.

  

  He had blacked out.

  

  And now he was awake, in a totally different environment from the Antarctic, dazed and confused. Sunlight stabbed harshly through his eyelids, and despite wanting to, was too tired to turn his head away from the unpleasant light.

****

**_“Is he awake, yet?”_ **

****

**_“Does he look like he is awake, imbecile?”_ **

****

**_“Ow! No need to bite me, Ni! It was just a simple question!”_ **

****

**_“A very_ ** **stupid** **_question, on top of that! It looks like he could be out for another hour!”_ **

****

**_“Well, at least he’s_ ** **alive** ** _. That you must be happy about._ **

****

  A pause and a shuffle.

  

 **_“Uh. He_ ** **is** **_alive. Right?”_ **

****

  Hot air blew into his face. Jack groaned and finally mustered the strength to move his arms up to his face, shielding himself from the sunlight.

  

**_“Ah, he is alive! Thank the gods, I was afraid we had accidentally killed him!”_ **

****

**_“Only you would be careless enough to kill our other half, San.”_ **

****

  Jack blinked open his eyes and squinted blearily upward.

  

  Three gigantic dragon heads stared down at him.

  

 **_“You are awake!”_ ** The left head said cheerfully. **_“How splendid! Ichi, look, he is well!”_ **

****

  “W-W-What the fuck!” Jack yelled. He scrambled backwards, his hands sinking into warm sand. “D-D-Did you fucking kidnap me? Where am I? Where is my sister?”

  

  The three heads all looked at each other, then back down at him. It was the middle one who spoke. **_“You are safe, little human. We have brought you to a resting place to heal after_ ** **someone** **_knocked you out cold.”_ ** He shot a glare at the left head. **_“As for your sister, do not worry about her. She is your enemy. What happens to her should not bother you. After all, she_ ** **did** **_leave you to die.”_ **

****

  Jack touched his ear, for a moment unable to speak. His mouth opened and closed like a beached fish. “I-I can understand you. I can understand what your saying. I can hear you perfectly clear!”

  

  The middle head smirked. **_“Really? I never noticed.”_ **

****

**_“Are you sure he is alright?”_ ** The left head leaned downward and sniffed him tentatively. Jack gasped and flinched away, pain slamming into his skull with every word the monster spoke. **_“He looks agonized. Jack, are you okay?”_ **

****

  “How do you know my name?” Jack asked.

  

 **_“San, back away. You are overwhelming the poor boy.”_ ** The middle head grabbed one of the left head’s horns and yanked him away from Jack. **_“We must explain this slowly, as not to confuse him too much.”_ **

****

  His head was hurting and his entire body was sore. Jack rubbed his face and moaned, feeling sick. God, what was happening to him? How could he understand what this thing was saying?

 

**_“Do you know who we are, boy?”_ **

****

  Jack shook his head.

  

**_“We are Ghidorah. The one who is many. The golden demise. The three-headed devil. And_** **your _Titan."_**

****

  Jack gaped.

  

  _“What?”_   he exclaimed.

  

  The middle head chuckled. **_“Do you remember when your sister told you about Mothra? How she is a type of human with half of a Titan’s soul?”_ **

****

  Jack was reminded of his conversation with Cara on the Argo, and nodded. “Y-Yeah, I remember that. She told me she was a...a Bonded.” He paused. “Wait. Am... _I_ a Bonded, too?”

  

  The three heads smiled knowingly. Jack was completely taken aback by this new revelation. “I knew I was one,” he muttered to himself. “It _does_ run through the family, after all!”

  

 **_“We have waited to find you for so long,”_ ** the right head said. **_“When we sensed you in Antarctica...and we spotted you among the Monarch scum...we were so relieved.”_ **

****

**_“And then I accidentally knocked you out with one our tails,”_ ** the left head said guiltily. **_“Sorry.”_ **

****

  Jack really didn’t know how to respond; this giant god-like creature was apologizing to _him?_   “Um, it’s alright, I guess?”

  

 **_“You must know that we have a very important goal to achieve,”_** the middle head explained. **_“Many, many years ago, when you were first given to us, we fought for the title of king of the monsters. The world was going to be ours. It was supposed to be glorious.”_ **

****

**_“But then that disgusting lizard Godzilla injured us,”_** the right head growled. **_“And you were killed.”_ **

****

  “Killed?” Jack echoed. “How am I alive right now, then?”

  

 **_“Rebirth,”_** the middle head said. **_“When a Titan gets killed, we slowly reform. It takes years, decades, but we eventually come back to life. We are eternal beings, mortal and immortal, temporary and forever, always.”_ **

****

**_“Bondeds are half-Titan,”_** the right head said. **_“So you are reborn, as well.”_ **

 

 **_“And you have finally returned to us, to aid us in our rise to power,”_ **the left head finished.

  

  “Rise to power…” Jack murmured. It was a tantalizing thought. But with power usually came tyranny, and Ghidorah didn’t seem like he would be the most benevolent ruler. “But isn’t that bad? You want to take over the world. Humans won’t like that. They’ll see us as the bad guys. In their eyes, we’ll be evil. And when humans see evil, we fight.”

  

**“ _Evil is a word that can be used in many different ways. How many revolutions and battles have occurred in humanity’s past where one side was deemed ‘evil?’ Isn’t the good side seen as evil to the opposing group? Evil is just a word created by humans to explain intentions not understood.”_ **

****

  “Yes, but-”

  

 **_“Hush now, little one, no buts.”_** The middle head bent towards him. **_“We are going to restore your memories. Stay very, very still. This may hurt quite a bit.”_ **

****

  “Huh?” Jack cried. “What do you mean, memories? Hey, get away from me, you-!”

  

  He didn’t finish, because all of a sudden the middle head opened his jaws wide and dove for him. Darkness filled his vision as those mighty teeth clamped down around his form.

  

  Agony shot through him. Jack screamed.

  

  Images began flowing through his head. Images of him and this Ghidorah, of the world falling before their feet, of monster and human alike bowing before them and submitting to them, recognizing them as kings.

  

  It was absolutely beautiful. Jack found himself not wanting the images to go away. But soon, those amazing flashes of memory were replaced by another set; of that creature called Godzilla wounding Ghidorah, sending him into the Antarctic to heal and rest. Of a giant moth flying regally through the air, a girl in bright armor atop its back, arms glowing with power. Of the same girl _killing_ him, stabbing a sword through his chest, a look of desperate guilt on her face as the life slowly left him.

  

  It wasn’t just any girl.

  

  It was Cara.

  

  The visions faded, and the middle head released him from his jaws.

  

 **_“Are you alright?”_ **he asked.

  

  Jack stared up at him. A strange feeling was moving through his arms. He opened his mouth and spoke.

  

  “Ichi,” he rasped. “I-I remember.”

  

  The head’s eyes lit up. He nodded with a smile. **_“Yes. What else?”_ **

****

  “Cara-she-she killed me. She killed me with her own sword. She-She-” He coughed, covering his mouth with his arm. “She fucking murdered me! How could she do that? We’re twins! It makes no sense that her Titan is a mortal enemy of mine!”

  

 **_“It is ironic, isn’t it?”_** Ichi said. **_“You and your sister are so alike, yet so different. Your destiny is one of destruction, and hers is one of preservation. Life and death. Good and evil. Dark and light. Two sides of the same coin that will never be out of currency. It is fascinating.”_ **

****

**_“Added to that, she left you,”_** Ni growled. **_“After we awoke, she chose that girl over you. We heard it ourselves. She did not care if you were alive. She wanted you gone, so she could replace you with the new human.”_ **

****

  “Are-Are you talking about Madison?” Jack asked.

  

 **_“Is that her name?”_** Ichi tilted his head and nodded. **_“Yes. I am sorry, little one. But you do not mean anything to her, anymore.”_ **

****

  “That’s not true!” he yelled. “Cara would never replace me! Especially not with some girl she just met!”

  

  But doubts began flooding into his head, and with them came the image of Cara in the Antarctic, her eyes filled with anger and resentment directed towards him, before turning her back to him and disappearing into a swirling snowstorm, hand locked with Madison’s.

  

  This was a memory. But he hadn’t seen Cara doing this. Right?

  

 **_“She chose Madison over you,”_** Ichi crooned. His voice was soft and hypnotic, weaving through Jack’s ears and mind. **_“You know it, as do we. Aren’t you upset? Don’t you want revenge? Don’t you want to make her pay?”_ **

****

  Fury filled his body to the brim as the image stayed fresh in his eye.

  

  Ghidorah was right.

  

  Cara _had_ abandoned him.

  

  He had known Madison was trouble from the start.

  

  Being welcomed into Monarch had gotten to his sister’s head.

  

  She didn’t love him. Didn’t care about him. Not anymore.

  

  Well, then. If she didn’t want him, he didn’t want her, either.

  

  “Yes,” he answered. “I want to make her suffer. I want to take her precious _Madison_ away from her forever. I want to destroy _everything_ she cares about.”

  

  He was surprised at how quickly he had made up his mind to turn on his twin. Ghidorah’s words were making him feel slightly dizzy. But he didn’t care. Cara was making him do this. She was the Bonded of Mothra, he was the Bonded of Ghidorah. Clearly, that made them enemies. And he wasn’t going to ignore his fate.

  

  Jack was so focused on the anger boiling within him, he didn’t even notice the yellow electricity-like gravity beams crackling between his clenched fingers.

  

 **_“Now, then, little human…”_** The three heads all spoke at once. **_“What would you like to do?”_ **

****

  Jack smiled a wicked smile. “Let’s go take over the goddamn world.”

  

 ****   

  


	17. Rodan Emerges

   Isla de la Mara looked to be a beautiful island. The villages were small and quaint from the air, and if she had the chance, Cara would have loved to explore them. She had never been to Mexico before; the fact that she had traveled to three different continents in a matter of a week was amazing to her.

  

  “Where do you think the eco-terrorists are hiding?” Cara asked Madison.

  

  She shrugged. “I have no idea. Knowing my mom, she’s probably hiding in some super undercover base or something. But it just doesn’t seem right.” Her gaze was hooded in concern. “Nothing about this feels good. She wouldn’t just let her location go out into the open like that.”

  

  “Maybe she made an honest mistake?” Eddie suggested. “I mean, yeah she’s a genius, but everyone messes up once in a while.”

  

  Madison looked doubtful. “It still doesn’t make sense,” she said. “Unless she _wanted_ us to know. Could it be to lure Cara and I to her?”

  

_“Something doesn't feel right.”_

  Cara startled at Mothra’s voice. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  

_“I do not know. I-I hear something. It sounds like a Titan, but is not. I-”_

  At that moment, the Argo suddenly shook as a loud _boom_ sounded. Cara lurched in her seat, barely noticing how Madison grabbed for her arm. Shouts and orders from the adults rose up as chaos quickly started.

  

  “What was _that_?” Noah asked.

  

  “I don’t know!” Cara answered. “Mothra?”

  

 _“It’s...It’s something I’ve heard before…”_ Mothra grunted. _“Not very...pleasant…”_

  The Argo rocked again. Cara unbuckled and jumped to her feet, running into the middle of the command center to the window, her friends not far behind.

  

  They were heading toward a large volcano. An outpost was built around the rim, with a steel circular lid that covered the opening completely. Though they were still quite far away from it, something could be heard coming in its direction.

  

  A loud sound was reverberating through the air, pulsing deeply from a series of speakers set up around the outpost. It echoed on repeatedly, and the more Cara listened to it, the more dizzy she suddenly felt. A headache was steadily forming in her temples.

  

  “Oh no,” Madison whispered.

  

  “What?” Eddie asked. “Is something wrong?”

  

  “My mom isn’t here. I was right. She tricked us.”

  

  “How?” Cara said, just as warning bells and alarms started to go off from multiple computers.

  

  “That noise isn’t a Titan,” Madison breathed. “That’s the ORCA.”

  

  Large dents appeared on the volcano’s lid. It slammed up and off, rocketing through the air. Lava and smoke poured out of the volcano.

  

  Something came up out of the spewing orange liquid. Cara felt her heart drop.

  

  It was a giant claw.

  

  “Mothra?” she said. “Who is that?”

  

  A creature appeared out of the smoke as her Titan spoke a single word.

  

_“Rodan.”_

                     ——————-

 

  Rodan was mad.

  

  Like, really, _really_ mad.

  

  He had literally just woken up. After who knows how many years, the fire demon was no longer dormant. He had exploded out of his volcano with triumphant majesty, ready to return to the world he had left. Gods, it felt good to stretch his wings. He had been well rested. He had been happy.

  

  Now he was absolutely furious.

  

  One would not want to wake up from an extremely long hibernation to find vermin in their home. But that is exactly what Rodan found when he had burst out of his roost. All over his territory, scattered here and there in their little pathetic dens. Rats. Bugs. _Humans_.

  

  He had thought he had previously made it clear to the lesser creatures that this island was his. No one else was allowed to settle upon it.

  

  It seemed as if the little pests had forgotten who was really in charge.

  

  To make things worse, these humans had weapons. Flying machines that buzzed around him like annoying birds. It really just dampened his mood further.

  

 _“I am warning you, humans,”_ the Titan growled, eyes narrowed in on the jets and fighter planes circling around him. _“I will not hesitate to destroy you all. Get off of my island now, and I might just consider letting the lot of you live.”_

  The humans buzzed on, blissfully unaware that they were about to become nothing more than a scattering of ashes. How disappointing. 

  

  Despite how inferior they were, Rodan did not kill without reason. Perhaps if these humans weren’t invading his personal space, he might have been more sympathetic.

  

  But these humans were being aggressive. And they had the audacity to take over his island like they owned the place.

  

  Rodan had every reason to incinerate them with a single breath.

  

  One helicopter came way to close for his liking. With a huff, Rodan slapped it away with his wing. It went spiraling away, flames and smoke immediately engulfing it.

  

  The humans didn’t seem to like that. Sharp pellets began digging into the spaces between his scales. One hit his eye.

  

  Ouch.

  

  That was the last straw.

  

 _“Fine, then. You wish to die? Die.”_ Rodan spread his wings and clapped them together, catching numerous flying machines in between the impact. More pellets bounced off of him. He was seriously beginning to get annoyed.

  

  He noticed one specific plane flying away from him at an incredible speed. It was larger than the others, sleek and gleaming. Rodan snorted; did the imbeciles on it really think they could escape him? If they did, they had another thing coming.

  

  He stood up to his full height, gripping the lip of the volcano as he spread his wings to their full length. For a moment, he blocked out the sun, a giant silhouette spelling doom and destruction for those who crossed him.

  

  Very menacing. He was quite proud of himself for the display.

  

  With a mighty flap he took off, swooping low then gaining altitude as he chased after the plane. More jets followed him, shooting at him with rapid fire. Little stings were beginning to shoot up on his body. The pellets were beginning to do some damage.

  

  Like he’d ever allow that to continue.

  

  Rodan did a barrel roll, smashing planes out of the sky. He caught two in his talons, crushing one and biting into the other. The metallic taste of human blood dotted his tongue.

  

  One jet was flying right in front of him, feebly attempting to outpace him. Rodan ignored the pellets hitting his face and opened his jaws wide, ready to devour the machine.

  

  The jet dipped low, then went shooting down all together. A small form popped out of it and went flying up into the air.

  

  This human thought he could escape with his life.

  

  Very amusing.

  

  Rodan snapped him up and swallowed him with one gulp.

  

  He idly wondered if he had any family to mourn his untimely death.

  

  Well, no matter. The larger plane was close. He’d destroy it and then continue on his way, removing any humans from his island, whether they wanted to be or not.

  

  He was almost upon it. Rodan let out a gleeful screech and prepared to bear down upon it.

  

  Something golden gleamed out of the corner of his eye.

  

  The distraction made him falter. His beak snapped shut on empty air. The plane sped on, free from his pursuit.

  

 _“Curses!”_ Rodan roared. The fire within him flared with unquenchable anger. He stopped and hovered, searching for whatever had allowed his chase to end in failure.

  

  A large shape was circling over him. Huge golden wings sliced effortlessly through the air. Three heads watched him with ruby red eyes.

  

  It was another Titan.

  

  In _his_ territory?

  

  Could this day get any worse?

  

 _“And who are you supposed to be?”_ Rodan spat up at the Titan.

  

  The stranger looked down at him with amusement. **_“Poor little devil bird, lost his human lunch,”_ ** the head to the left sang. **_“So pathetic. We would have gotten that plane much quicker than you.”_ **

****

  Rodan’s temper fumed. _“You dare come into my territory and then_ insult _me?_

 

_**“You dare speak with such disrespect to your king?”** _

****

  That made Rodan pause.

  

  King?

  

  This was the alpha of all Titans?

  

 _“Impossible,”_ Rodan said. _“Our king is Godzilla, who has ruled for ages.”_

**_“Godzilla is dead,”_ **the middle head said.

  

  Rodan’s eyes widened.

  

  No.

  

  Godzilla couldn’t be dead.

  

  Godzilla has been his friend.

  

  This golden creature. This imposter. This faker. He was _lying_! He knew it!

  

 _“Do not speak falsely to me, you miserable cur!”_ Rodan yelled. _“Godzilla would not just die! And I find it hard to believe that you killed him! You are no match for the king of all monsters!”_

  The right head bared its teeth. **_“Say that again and we shall rip your wings off!”_ **

****

**_“Easy, Ni. There is no need to resort to violence. This poor creature just needs some guidance, that is all.”_ ** The middle head eyed Rodan like he was a meal. **_“Godzilla was killed by the humans. He is not coming back. We wish to avenge his death, but we cannot do it alone. Aid us in destroying mankind, and you will be greatly rewarded.”_ **

****

  Rodan was ashamed to admit to himself that for a moment, he considered this offer.

  

  But he was not one to make sweeping generalizations.

  

  He knew that even if the humans had killed Godzilla, which was very, very, very unlikely, it would be meaningless to take revenge on the entire race. There was no point in killing millions of innocent lives.

  

  The humans hadn’t killed Godzilla.

  

  No. No, Godzilla was alive. He could feel it. This three headed beast was lying. This was no king.

  

 _“I refuse to believe you! I_ won’t _believe you! Disgusting false ruler, I will tear you apart!”_

  With a mighty screech, he launched himself at the other Titan. The false king hissed, rearing back like a snake poised to strike. Rodan barreled into him with a force of a hundred freight trains, stabbing his claws and beak into the golden scales.

  

  The two Titans clashed, thunder against fire, demon against devil, monster against monster. Rodan felt teeth ripping into his back, talons sinking into the spaces between his scales. The false king wrapped his tails around his body, pinning his wings to his sides, two of the heads coiling around him like cobras. Pain sizzled through him when they bit into his neck, and he felt three tongues lapping at his wounds, licking up his blood, sucking up his life force. It was agonizing, constricting, and Rodan found himself completely vulnerable to the false king as the heads continued to feed off of his energy.

  

  The fire was literally being sucked out of him.

  

  Rodan screamed his agony out to the world. He couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back, couldn’t do anything but allow the false king to continue to sap away his strength. He went completely numb, totally at the golden monster’s mercy.

  

 **_“Do you submit?”_ **the middle head growled.

  

  Rodan gasped, his eyes rolling back into his head as he let out a pathetic whimper.

  

  The middle head bit down harder, causing another shriek to rip out of the fire bird’s throat. **_“Do you submit?”_ **he asked again.

  

_“Y-Yes…”_

  The three heads chuckled. At once, they let him go, allowing his limp, exhausted body to fall into the ocean. Rodan faintly saw the false king turn and head after the plane he had previously been chasing, not even giving him a final glance.

  

  Maybe it _was_ true. Maybe Godzilla was dead, after all.

  

  Rodan sunk downward as darkness pulled him into its vast overpowering wings.

  

  

****

  


	18. Godzilla Lost

  Ichi was quite content with how things were going for him and his brothers, so far.

 

  Mothra and her little Bonded were on the run. That strange little fire bird was defeated. Godzilla was nowhere to be seen.

  

  Everything was going spectacularly. He was sure that they could have Mothra killed by the end of the week. The queen of the monsters was a stubborn one; she would not assimilate to their side easily, if at all. Her partnership with Godzilla was practically unbreakable. And for that, she had to die.

  

  He wasn’t worried, though. There were plenty of other Titans out there that were worthy candidates for being their mate. Ichi already had a particular one in mind.

  

 **_“Ichi,”_** Ni said. The right head’s deep voice came out in a guttural growl. **_“The queen and her Bonded are in the plane the fire Titan was chasing. I can sense them inside.”_ **

****

  Ichi smiled. **_“Perfect,”_** he purred. **_“Let us make quick work of them. Kill the queen. Kill the humans. But leave the Bonded alive. We need her for something else.”_ **

****

**_“Really?”_** San said. **_“What for?”_ **

****

**_“She will be the perfect victim for Jack to take his rage out on. By having him kill his counterpart of light, he will have no one to hold him back from aiding us in our conquest of this world. Remember, the boy still believes that Cara abandoned him.”_ **

****

  Ni gnashed his teeth, looking troubled. **_“I do not enjoy lying to him. He may be part human, but he is still our own.”_ **

****

**_“I do not like it any more than you do, dear brother. But the moth’s Bonded is a voice of reason that can soothe his anger. If we take her out of the equation, than there will be nothing to hold Jack back from achieving his full potential.”_ **

****

  Ichi took control of their wings, propelling them forward. He grinned as they neared the plane, so little and feeble compared to their mighty image.

  

 **_“Goodnight, little bugs,”_ **Ghidorah hissed as one.

  

  And then, there was a loud  _"KEEP AWAY FROM THEM!”_ and Godzilla suddenly came rocketing out of the water, his jaws closing around Ichi’s neck and pulling him and his unassuming brothers into the ocean below.

                                                                                                --------------

 

  Cara had never been more glad to see Godzilla than she was now.

  

  Ghidorah’s overwhelming presence had surrounded the Argo for a moment, and she thought for a moment that they were done for. Rodan had been taken care of, knocked unconscious by the three-headed dragon, disappearing under the ocean’s watery darkness. Even though he _had_ been trying to kill them, she was rooting for Rodan when, shown on the Argo’s exterior camera feeds, that he was challenging Ghidorah to a fight. Mothra had been too, and both of them were stricken with despair when they saw that Rodan had lost.

  

  But now the king of the monsters was there to finish the job. It had been an awesome sight. One moment, Ghidorah was almost upon them, his three heads grinning madly as he closed in on the back of the plane. The next minute, Godzilla was jumping out of seemingly nowhere, grabbing the other monster and bringing the golden menace down with him.

  

  “Is he going to win?” Cara asked Mothra as they watched the underwater battle from the camera feeds.

  

 _“The ocean is Godzilla’s natural habitat,”_ Mothra replied excitedly. _“Ghidorah can’t swim, and his gravity beams will instantly evaporate in the water. There is no way our king can lose this; he was made to fight in the sea.”_

  Everyone’s hopes were up. Cara smiled to Eddie, Noah, and Madison. “Mothra says Godzilla is gonna win this. Ghidorah’s finally going to get what he deserves.”

  

  “It almost seems way too easy,” Noah said. “Ghidorah’s barely even been awake for a week, and he hasn’t even caused the apocalypse, yet! Godzilla works fast!”

  

  “Let’s not jinx it, okay?” Eddie said. “Just let them fight without cursing our luck.”

  

  Godzilla moved effortlessly through the water, keeping Ghidorah submerged like a crocodile. The draconic Titan’s wings flapped uselessly, alarmed screeches coming out as gasping gurgles. Cara dimly saw Godzilla bite into San’s neck, wrenching it back and forth like dog would with a pull toy. A huge cloud of blood billowed up, fogging the two giants from view.

  

  The severed head of San popped up to the surface, his glassy eyes wide and terrified.

  

  Cara blanched and looked away, her stomach heaving at the sight.

  

  “Oh, wow,” Eddie whispered in horror. “He really means business, doesn’t he?”

  

 _“As I said,”_ Mothra spoke. _“Ghidorah has no chance here.”_

  Suddenly, the feed of Godzilla and Ghidorah cut off. Replacing it was the face of a man in a navy uniform, his serious expression sweeping over everyone on the plane.

  

  “This is Admiral Stenz,” the man said.

  

  Colonel Foster stepped forward and saluted. “Admiral,” she acknowledged.

  

  “Dr. Serizawa, Colonel Foster, I need you and your forces to immediately disengage and withdraw to a safe distance.”

  

  Colonel Foster looked at Mr. Serizawa. “Admiral, I don’t understand,” she said, confused.

  

  “The navy has been developing a prototype for a new weapon. An Oxygen Destroyer. Designed to exterminate all life forms within a two-mile radius. With any luck, it will kill these things and this nightmare will finally be over.”

  

  “Wait, what?” Cara exclaimed. “You can’t kill Godzilla! He has everything under control!”

  

  Admiral Stenz shifted his gaze to her and her friends. “Colonel, why are there children with your team? Do you know how much danger they are in here? Take them immediately to their families at once!”

  

  “Hey, you can’t tell us what to do, jackass!” Noah yelled.

  

  Eddie jabbed him savagely in the ribs. “Shut up!” he hissed. “Your talking to a navy admiral! Show some respect!”

  

  “Respect my ass!” Noah growled. “This dude thinks he can just come in and order everyone around? Does he even know what’s going on here right now? That Godzilla is trying to help?”

  

  “Admiral, please,” Mr. Serizawa said. “We must keep our faith in Godzilla!”

   

  I'm sorry, Doctor, you had your chance. “Admiral Stenz didn’t sound the least bit sympathetic. Clearly, he didn’t see Godzilla and Ghidorah as anything more than stupid oversized reptiles. “The missile is already on its way. May God have mercy on us all.”

  

  The feed of him disappeared. The fight between Godzilla and Ghidorah returned.

  

  Loud warning sirens began going off on the Argo’s sonar monitors. Sergeant Barnes was looking at them. “He’s not lying,” he confirmed. “This Oxygen Destroyer’s coming in hot.”

  

 _“No,”_ Mothra said. _“We have to stop it! Godzilla is our only hope! He cannot die! I will not let him!”_

  Cara’s body grew warm; she sensed Mothra’s incoming physical formation. “Mothra, no!” she cried. “You can’t come out here! You’ll destroy the ship!”

  

_“Godzilla is going to die! Cara, can’t you see? We have to destroy that Oxygen Destroyer! Quick, find a way out! Now! Please!”_

  Her screeches were making Cara’s head throb. “Okay, okay! I’ll ask to open the back bay area! You can come out there!” She ran over to Colonel Foster. “Miss, you have to let Mothra and I out of here! We have to save Godzilla!”

  

  The woman shook her head, for the first time since Cara had met her, appearing totally lost at what to do. “We got to get out of here, kid. That thing will kill us if we don’t.”

  

  “Oxygen Destroyer impact in ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six…”

  

  Cara whirled to look back at the camera feeds. Over Godzilla and Ghidorah, something could be seen dropping toward them. Something that looked to be a bomb.

  

  “Five. Four. Three. Two…”

  

 _“NO!”_ Cara and Mothra screamed together as one.

  

  The Oxygen Destroyer hit the ocean surface, and a bright white light erupted from the area. Cara shielded her eyes, a loud BOOM from outside making her ears ring.

  

  It lasted for a full ten seconds, before the light dissipated and the outside could be seen once more.

  

  Already, dead fish were beginning to float to the surface, hundreds of them, seemingly all at once.

  

  “Oh my god,” Madison whispered.

  

 _“No,”_ Mothra said. _“Nonononono. It can’t be. Please, by the name of the creator, please do not let it be.”_

  For a moment, there was nothing but utter silence.

  

  And then Ghidorah breached the surface, flapping up into the air with a triumphant roar. He was covered in cuts and gashes-San’s ripped up neck flopped limply from side to side, bone and muscle visible-but he was alive. The Golden Demise had survived what was probably to be the most powerful bomb mankind would ever create.

  

  Cara didn’t feel any hatred for the evil being. All she felt was panic and fear gripping at her heart.

  

  There was no sign of Godzilla anywhere.

  “Dr. Stanton,” Mr. Serizawa said. His voice was faint. He looked ill. “Can you locate Godzilla?”

  

  The other man nodded. His fingers clicked rapidly as he pulled up an active sonar of Godzilla’s heartbeat and breathing.

  

  “I got something,” he said. “His vitals are fading fast. Radiation levels are falling.” He clenched his hands into fists. “Come on, big guy, fight it.”

  

  The sonar pulsed weakly, feebly. And then it went dead.

  

  Dr. Stanton looked over to them, crestfallen. “He’s gone.”

  

  Mr. Serizawa collapsed into a seat, holding his head in his hands. Dr. Chen looked away with a gasping sob. Dr. Graham had her hands up to her mouth, her eyes closed. She looked like she was praying.

  

  Cara went numb all over. Everyone in the Argo disappeared; it was only her and her Titan, momentarily.

  

  “M-Mothra?” she murmured, sounding much smaller than younger than she really was. In her mind, she was transported back to a day from her childhood. Of her standing in a hospital. Staring up at her mother, who was curled up in a chair, crying. Of seeing her grandmother, lying in a hospital bed, the life in her all gone.

  

  Mothra answered her with a screaming, mournful wail that pierced the heavens and carried forever over the sea.

  

  

  

 

 


	19. All Hail the Golden Demise

  Rodan sputtered as he clawed his way onto a beach on his island, coughing madly. The lava that had been burning so brightly along the edges of his wings was dim now, a faint glow due to how long he had spent underwater. His scales felt waterlogged and soggy, too slippery and wet. He wasn’t supposed to feel like this; his domain was the earth and the sky, not the water.

  

  He lay there for a moment, breathing heavily. Every gulp of air was a blessing to his burning lungs, and the feeling of the beach’s sand was a grateful welcome. While his species could hold their breath for up to an hour, Rodan was still rather young, and he had never been a major fan of swimming. It had taken all of his strength not to succumb to the claws of suffocation, to force his wings to bring him to the surface when he had awoken on the bottom of the sea.

  

  What had happened while he was out? Had the false king destroyed the human’s plane? Had the tiny creatures escaped unscathed? He couldn’t possibly imagine how they could pull that off. Not even he had been able to escape the golden Titan’s wrath. How in the world could a couple of humans get away from the strange beast?

  

  He sighed, then slowly pulled himself to his feet. His wings were still heavy with exhaustion, but he paid it no mind. The false king could still be in his territory. He had to protect his home.

  

  As he lifted into the air and soared toward his volcano, Rodan immediately sensed that something was off. The island was still, with no movement or noise seen or heard. The human dens that he had inadvertently destroyed were abandoned. There was no sign of its inhabitants anywhere.

  

  Usually, with his acute sense of smell, the scent of the ocean was constantly strong. He could smell the fish, the creatures teeming beneath the waves, the spray and the salt. Just a few moments ago, those smells had been there. But now, they were gone.

  

  How long had he been underwater? A minute? An hour? Uneasiness gripped at Rodan’s heart. He hesitated, then changed course, flying back to the ocean.

  

  Something was wrong. Something was unnatural. Since the beginning of his existence, he could feel the life flourishing within the territory him and his parents had lived on. Now, all he felt was the heavy weight of stillness that wasn't supposed to be there.

  

  He soared over the beach he had washed up upon, and his heart dropped all the way to the ground.

  

  The ocean was dead. That was the only way he could describe it. The water was a dull gray, lifeless fish floating eerily upon its surface. A fog seemed to have rolled in, swallowing up all noise, gulping down all life, leaving his territory an eaten-out husk of what it once was. Rodan cried out his sadness at the horrible sight; what had done this? The humans? The false king?

  

  Where was Godzilla? His king would have come here by now, to stop whatever had caused this and restore balance. That was the alpha’s job-so then, where was he?

  

  Rodan recalled the false king’s proposition that Godzilla was dead, and a shiver cast itself through his wings.

  

  Wheeling around, he flew in the direction of his nest.

  

  A heavy storm hung over it, blocking the rays of the sun, lightning and thunder rolling and flashing ominously through the sky.

                                                                                      ----------

 

  The false king was in his roost when he arrived. Rodan dropped downward, landing at the volcano’s base. Numerous emotions blared through his system-rage, for this terrible creature had the audacity to take over his nest-wariness, because he had seen the full power of the three-headed Titan, and did not want to go through the agony he had undergone in their previous meeting.

  

  It took him a moment to notice that the middle head was focused on him.

  

 **_“Well, well, well,”_** he said. **_“It looks as if our little opponent survived his fall. What is the matter, fire Titan? Have you returned for more pain?”_ **

****

  Rodan stood up straight, glaring defiantly up at the false king. _“I am not little,”_ he proclaimed. _“And I returned here because this is my home.”_

  The middle head chuckled. **_“This is_ ** **our** **_home, now. We have deemed it worthy of our habitation. This volcano is quite a nice throne.”_** He tilted his head, staring down at Rodan inquisitively. **_“You may stay here with us, if you like. As long as you acknowledge that we are your king. What is your name, Firebird?"_**

****

  Rodan hissed. _“My name is Rodan. I am known as the One Born of Fire, the King of the Sky, and the Fire Demon. And you will_ never _be my king. I will not bow to you.”_ His eyes trailed over him, examining his current state. The smoking remains of the false king’s left head brought the edges of his mouth up into a smile.

  

 _“_ _Ha!”_ he barked. _“I see you are down a brother! What are you going to do, now that you do not have a third head to aid you in your conquest of the world?”_

  The middle head pursed his lips, looking at the sagging neck distastefully. **_“We are not worried. San will return to us. Quite soon, in fact.”_ **

****

_“San,”_ Rodan said. _“So that was his name. What are yours, oh great and undefeatable rulers? And who do I have to thank for ripping one of you off?”_

  The right head snarled. **_“Watch your tongue, slave, or I just might wrench it out of your mouth!”_ **

****

**_“Easy, Ni.”_** The middle head lifted his chin. **_“We are the brothers Ghidorah. I am Ichi. He is Ni. And our reemerging sibling is San.”_ **

****

  Rodan blinked. _“Reemerging? What-”_

  He yelped when he saw something growing out of the left head’s neck.

  

  It started out as a skull, stark white and ghostly. And then there was muscle, and tissue, and skin. Ichi leaned down and ripped away some sort of protective covering as the left head grew, his jaw snapping into place, two sets of fresh eyes rolling into his sockets, and his long, snaking tongue retreating backward to a normal length.

  

  San rose up, twisting himself right and left. He worked his jaw a few times. **_“Whew, that was unpleasant. Godzilla really knows how to make one hurt!”_ ** He looked happily to Ichi and Ni. **_“What did I miss?”_ **

****

  Rodan’s jaw dropped.

  

  Titans did not return to life that quickly.

  

  It should have taken San ages to return to such a state.

  

  This false king-this Ghidorah-he didn’t follow the laws of rebirth. He was not natural. He did not belong here.

  

 **_“San,”_** Ichi said. **_“Meet our slave, Rodan. He is going to serve us_ ** **so well** **_during our reign.”_ **

 

 _"I am not your slave!"_ Rodan screeched.  _"I refuse to grovel at the feet of the creature that just took over my home! Where is Godzilla? Where is my king?"_

 

 ** _“Your king is right in front of you,”_ **all three heads spoke together.

  

  Rodan went silent. He folded his wings and cast a fleeting, desperate look out toward the sea; praying that Godzilla would miraculously appear, to kill Ghidorah and save him from whatever fate this Titan had in store for him.

  

 **_“He is dead,”_** Ni said. **_“The humans killed him. We are your alpha. Accept it. Do not fight against us.”_ **

****

  Rodan waited another few moments. He hung his head, realizing that Ni was right.

  

  Godzilla wasn’t coming to save him. He was gone.

  

  Ghidorah must have sensed his submission, because he continued. **_“Here is what is going to happen,”_** Ichi said. **_“You are going to serve us. You will not leave our side. Everywhere we go,_ ** **you** **_go. When we are here, you are permitted to hunt. But do not leave the proximity of the island.”_ **

****

**_“If you try to escape, we will catch you,”_** Ni hissed. **_“And I will mutilate you, limb from limb. I will make sure your death carries out for days.”_ **

****

  Rodan shivered. He suddenly felt very small, very defenseless, with no friends to help him or save him from this horrible new king.

  

 **_“We must make sure that our lineage carries on,”_** Ichi said. **_“Death comes in many forms, and if we are destroyed completely, than we must have a prince to take our place while we reform.”_ **

****

**_“You are to be our mate,”_** San said. **_“Our slave and our servant. The other Titans of Earth will see you as an example, and follow us.”_ **

****

  Terror pierced Rodan’s heart. He flared his wings. _“But-!”_

**_“Do not question us,”_** Ichi said. **_“It is our decision.”_ **

****

  Rodan’s chested heaved. He didn’t know what to do. There was no way he was going to become Ghidorah’s mate! He would not allow it!

  

  And then he remembered the three heads sucking the life force out of him, of how he barely stood a chance against Ghidorah at his full strength. There was no way he could defeat him in battle. There was no way he would survive another fight.

  

 **_“Bow,”_** Ichi growled.

  

  Rodan hesitated. He had promised himself he would never kneel to this monster. But now, he was less sure he even had a choice.

  

 **_“Bow,”_** Ichi said again, harsher this time.  _ **"You are being commanded to."**_

  

  Rodan lowered his head and spread his wings, acknowledging Ghidorah as his new king.

 

  Ichi cackled, grinning like a maniac.  ** _"Godzilla is dead!"_** he yelled exultantly.  _ **"We are king! Hail to King Ghidorah!"**_

  

  The three heads looked up to the sky and roared, the noise chilling Rodan to the bone. It was an alpha call, one every king used at the beginning of his reign, displaying his power and authority over the Titans of the world.

  

  It carried over continents, reverberated through seas, rang loud through the clouds. It could be heard from every corner of the earth.

  

  And with the roar of the new king of the monsters, giants began to awake.

 

  

  

  

****

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I know this is a short chapter, but writer's block is taking a toll on me, as is the start of school again. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that if I don't update for a while, do not fret! I'm still here, I just have a lot of work on my plate, and writing the next few chapters is going to take a while. Please be patient with me, and I hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend! Cara and Mothra say hello!


	20. Planet Killer

  Everything was going wrong.

  

  That was the only thing Cara could think as she watched numerous news feeds on multiple monitors in Castle Bravo. Everything was going absolutely wrong. All across the globe, there were reports of Titans emerging and destroying everything in their paths. Sedona, Arizona. Munich, Germany. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Four Titans, giant, deadly, and completely new, were wreaking havoc.

  

  She knew it was Ghidorah. She had heard his call, even after they were far away from Isla de la Mara and back at Monarch’s home base. It was like a siren, an alarm, something like an alpha wolf calling for its pack. With Godzilla gone, the three-headed Titan had taken the title of king. Which meant he commanded the most dangerous creatures in the world.

  

  “He’s doing this, you know,” someone said behind her. Cara turned and saw Madison walking over to her. The other girl folded her arms, her expression matching that of a dog she once saw in the back of an animal control truck: terror and fury all mixed together as one. “Ghidorah. The Titans are responding to his call.”

  

  “ _King_ Ghidorah,” Cara corrected, spitting out the name with contempt.

  

  “He’s not king,” Madison said.

  

  “Yes, yes he is.” Cara turned to her friend, her hands clenched. “Godzilla’s dead, Madison. He’s gone. And now this-this monster is the Titan alpha, and he’s going to destroy the world and kill us all.”

  

  “No, he won’t. We’ll stop him.”

  

  “How, Maddie? How? Look at us! We’re on the run! Ghidorah is going to send every Titan in his disposal after me and Mothra! Look at what he’s making them do!” Cara gestured wildly to the monitors. “It’s over. We lost.”

  

  “Cara.” Madison put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. “You need to breathe. Calm down.”

  

  “No, don’t tell me to breathe!” Cara shrugged Madison away and turned her back on her. “Don’t tell me to calm down when there are millions of people dying because I wasn’t strong enough to stop Ghidorah! If I hadn’t woken him up in the first place, none of this would be happening! It’s all my fault!”

  

  Her sides were heaving, and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes. Cara sniffed and wiped them away. “Ghidorah killed Jack. He killed my brother. Godzilla is dead, and now he’s king. Everything that has happened so far is because I’m a stupid Bonded. I wish I had _never_ walked into that damn temple in China.”

  

  “Cara,” Madison said. “None of this is your fault. It’s not your fault Ghidorah killed Jack. It’s not your fault Godzilla’s gone.” She hesitated, then tenderly took Cara’s hand into her own. “We need you. You should be proud that your a Bonded. Without you, we wouldn’t know anything about Godzilla, or Ghidorah, or any of the Titans. I’m _happy_ that you found Mothra. I’m happy your a Bonded. Noah, Eddie, Mothra, they all agree, I know it. Your our only hope at defeating Ghidorah. Your a miracle. And don’t let some stupid giant dragon convince you otherwise.”

  

  Her speech threw Cara off slightly; she hadn’t been expecting Madison to speak so highly of her with so much emotion. She laughed and brushed her hand through her hair. “I never knew you liked me so much.” She smiled. “Thank you.”

  

  The two of them stood there for a moment, fingers intertwined, feeling so many different things and not knowing how to properly express them. Cara noticed Madison’s cheeks blush lightly when they made eye contact, and the other girl coughed and quickly changed the subject. “Right. Anyway, we need to come up with a plan.”

  

  “Agreed.” Cara looked back up at the monitors. “We have to somehow stop Ghidorah from using the other Titans to destroy cities.”

  

  “Can Mothra help us, somehow?” Madison asked hopefully. “I mean, isn’t she their queen? They have to listen to her, right?”

  

  “She hasn’t spoken to me since Isla de la Mara.” Cara focused on her Titan. “Mothra? Are you okay?”

  

  A shuddering sigh reverberated through Cara’s skull. _“Yes, I am okay. I am sorry I have not been very active. It is just-by the gods, he was more than just my king. He was my friend.”_

  “I know, Mothra. He was my friend, too. But we can’t just sit here and let Ghidorah get away with all the heartbreak he caused. We have to fight back. Godzilla would want us to.”

  

  Mothra trembled again, then stilled. _“Yes,”_ she agreed. _“Yes, we must avenge our king’s death. Ghidorah will pay for what he has done.”_ Her voice strengthened. _“Thank you for protecting me, my child. I feel horrible for wallowing in my own grief, while disregarding how you must feel right now. We will fight together, as one.”_

  Cara grinned; there was the Mothra she knew so well. “Don’t worry about me, Mothra. I’ll die before I let anything happen to you. Your my friend, and friends protect each other, no matter what.” She gave Madison a thumbs up. “Mothra’s agreed to help us. Now we just need Eddie and Noah to join us, too.”

  

  Madison gave her a nod. “I’ll go tell them. We’ll meet and come up with a plan tonight.”

  

  Cara watched her go to leave, then remembered she had wanted to ask her something. “Madison, wait! Did your mom say anything about her goal to release the Titans? Did she possibly have a backup plan in case things went wrong?”

  

  Madison shook her head. “All she said was that we were going to be careful, that we’d release them one at a time. I don’t think she expected Ghidorah to be this aggressive.”

  

  “Cara, Madison,” Dr. Chen suddenly called. She was waving them over, to where the adults, including Noah and Eddie, were gathered in a group. “Come here, please.”

  

 _“What are we discussing, now?”_ Mothra said impatiently. _“The time for speaking is over! We must act!”_

  “We don’t want to jump into a fight with Ghidorah without thinking things over, first,” Cara whispered to her. “Remember, he’s super powerful. And without Godzilla, we’re seriously downgraded.”

  

 _“You are correct, as always.”_ Mothra growled with frustration. _“Why must this have happened? Godzilla was going to retain balance! He saw humanity as his allies! How could this have happened to him?”_

  Guilt swept over Cara’s heart. “I’m sorry, Mothra. I’m sorry humanity’s done this to you. Please don’t lose hope in us, yet, we can still help.”

  

_“Oh, I will never lose faith in humanity, my child. I do not blame your kind for Godzilla’s death. The people who sent that Oxygen Destroyer were afraid, and were merely acting in defense of the human race. I blame Ghidorah for instilling that fear in them, and for that, I wish to have vengeance.”_

  “You don’t seem like a very vengeful Titan to me.”

  

_“Indeed I am not. I usually do not allow my emotions to get ahead of my logical thought. But in this case, I am willing to do whatever it takes to make Ghidorah suffer.”_

  The topic of the discussion, of course, was Ghidorah. Cara was quick to notice that, when she and Madison fell in beside Noah and Eddie, the adults around her quickly dispersed to give her more space. They were treating her like they acted around Mr. Serizawa, or Dr. Chen, or Dr. Graham: a leader, a person in charge. It felt slightly familiar, as if sometime long ago, others treated her the exact same way. Probably in her past lives, when she had been seen as a sort of demigod to ancient people.

  

  Jesus. She was never going to get used to this whole rebirth thing, was she?

  

  “King Ghidorah is using a call to awaken Titans to do his bidding,” Dr. Chen was explaining. “It seems he is starting off small, with this group of four being the first wave.” She tapped the large screen she stood in front of, pulling up pictures of the four new Titans. “We don’t know when, but we can assume that he is going to use this alpha call again. To awaken a second line of Titans to follow the first.”

  

  “Is there any way we can stop him from using the alpha call?” Coleman asked.

  

  “Yes, but we have no way of doing it,” Dr. Chen replied. “If we had Dr. Russell’s ORCA device, we could possibly replicate an alpha call that is strong enough to calm the Titans to the point where they will cease their rampages. But we don’t know where Dr. Russell or the ORCA is.”

  

  “Madison, do you have any idea where your mother could be?” Dr. Graham asked. “Any information at all would be extremely helpful.”

  

  Madison blinked, her expression going blank when the light was put on her. She swallowed and stammered. “I-I don’t know. She never discussed where we’d go after we released Ghidorah. But she’s with Alan Jonah, that’s all I know.”

  

  Everyone’s expressions fell. That was a wild goose chase just waiting to happen-Jonah was always two steps ahead of them. There was no way they’d find him in time to stop a second wave of Titans from emerging.

  

  “Well, do you know if we could somehow recreate the ORCA signal from scratch?” Dr. Chen asked.

  

  Madison shook her head. “I never saw my mom build the ORCA. She showed me how to use it, but I don’t know what sounds she used to make the signal.” She hung her head. “I’m sorry I can’t be any more help.”

  

  Cara put a hand on her shoulder. “We’re all pretty lost here,” she whispered. “Don’t worry. Your being a lot more helpful than I am.”

  

  Madison smiled softly, her eyes never straying from Cara’s own.

  

  “Alright, so we’re basically at a roadblock.” Stanton threw his hands up in the air. “Great.”

  

  “How come that Oxygen Destroyer thing affected Godzilla but not Ghidorah?” Eddie piped in.

  

  “Yeah, I mean, I’m no scientist, but I think it has something to do with his fucking head growing back,” Noah commented.

  

  “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Dr. Graham rubbed her forehead. “It violates everything we know about the natural order.”

  

 _“And the laws of rebirth,”_ Mothra added.

  

  Cara mused over their words, lost in thought. Something Mothra has told her back when they were flying to Castle Bravo from Antarctica popped into mind. _“Hailing from the cosmos...not of this world...invasive species…”_

  “Unless he’s not part of the natural order,” she said.

  

  Dr. Graham focused on her. “What do you mean?”

  

  “Mothra told me that King Ghidorah isn’t from Earth. He comes from space. She called him an invasive species.”

  

  “So Ghidorah is a fucking _alien_?” Noah gawked.

  

  “Yes. He’s not meant to be here. The natural order doesn’t apply to him.”

  

  “A false king,” Mr. Serizawa said hatefully.

  

  “That could explain how he's creating these massive storms,” Dr. Chen said. “And the effect he's having on the other Titans. It's almost like he's reshaping the planet to his own liking.”

  

  “Shit. He’s gonna wipe out everything,” Madison said.

  

 _“He is one of the Planet Killers,”_ Mothra said. _“They crave destruction and death.”_

  “You said there are two other Titans that arrived with Ghidorah to Earth?” Cara asked. “Are two of these four Titans them?”

  

 _“No, thank the gods. They seem to still be asleep. Or dead. Either I am quite fine with.”_ Mothra’s voice quivered. _“Cara, we must not allow him to wake up his friends. If he does...then we truly are all doomed.”_

  “Dr. Serizawa!” Sergeant Barnes came running over to the group. “I hate to break up the chit chat, but there are people here that want to see you.”

  

  Mr. Serizawa looked surprised. “Who?”

  

  Barnes shook his head. “You won’t like it. It’s Admiral Stenz and his crew.”

  

  Stanton groaned. Cara looked to Madison and shrugged.

  

  “What does he want?” Me. Serizawa asked. By the tone of his voice, he still was furious with what Admiral Stenz had done.

  

  “He says-” Barnes licked his lips nervously. “He says that Washington D.C. is under attack.”

                                                                                        ——————

 

  Ghidorah sat on top of a large building, his wings gripping strongly against the partially collapsed structure. Above him, the sky swirled darkly, all sunlight blocked out by the blanket of angry black clouds. The gigantic hurricane-like storm was just as freaky and unnatural as the golden hydra that had created it.

  

  “I still don’t understand,” Jack called down to him. The Bonded was perched on Ichi’s neck, nestled safely between two neck spikes. “Why are you destroying D.C.?”

  

 **_“_ _Y_** ** _ou said this city is where your country’s leaders reside.”_** Ichi stared out at the desolation they had caused. The city was submerged in water, only the tips of the tallest buildings visible. Any humans that had been caught in the flooding were probably dead-that was good for them. **_“If you wish to conquer a kingdom, you must start with the capital. We now control this land, which means our territory has expanded.”_ **

****

  “But I thought we were going to kill Cara and Mothra,” Jack said with impatient agitation.

  

 **_“And we will. But first we must establish our dominance over this world.”_** Ichi had missed his Bonded dearly, but Jack’s brash personality was something he was not particularly fond of. **_“Patience, Jack. You will have your revenge soon.”_ **

****

  Jack settled back against Ichi’s neck, momentarily satisfied with the answer he had received. Ichi returned his focus to the water, searching its depths for any sign of life.

  

 **_“Ichi,”_** Ni growled. **_“The Firebird is approaching.”_ **

****

  A large red shape was flying toward them. Ichi lifted his chin, his jaw set as Rodan swooped down to land on the top of the building that was across from them.

  

 **_“_** ** _Well?”_** he questioned. **_“Any sign of them?”_ **

****

  Rodan bowed his head. _“No, my king. There is nothing in the water for miles. It is just us here.”_

  Ichi hissed, unpleased. **_“Well then, go look again! Do not come back until you have scoured every last bit of this territory!”_ **

****

  Rodan bowed again and flew away in a hurry. Ichi watched him until he was nothing more than a glowing crimson dot against the dark contrast of the sky.

  

 **_“Perhaps they have not woken up yet, Ichi,”_ **San suggested. 

  

 **_“They should be,”_** Ichi insisted. **_“We focused the call on them. Why have they not come, yet?”_ **

****

**_“Maybe they are still going through the rebirth process.”_** Ni focused his gaze on his older brother. **_“Or maybe they just haven’t bothered to answer the call.”_**

****

**_“They will always answer the call,”_ ** Ichi said brusquely. **_“They would not just disregard it.”_ **

****

**_“They would if they were afraid.”_ **

****

  Ichi stared at him. **_“What are you saying?”_ **

****

  Ni tilted his head to the side, showing the numerous burn scars that ran over his jaw and behind his eye. **_“Were they not present when these permanent wounds were given to me? Do they not fear that the same thing might happen to them?”_ **

****

**_“_** ** _Godzilla is dead,”_** Ichi snapped. **_“They have nothing to fear anymore, except my wrath.”_ **

****

**_“But they do not know that, dear brother. And we do not know ourselves if Godzilla is truly gone.”_ **

****

  Ichi hissed, turning on his sibling with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. **_“Are you saying I should doubt myself? That I should be cowering in fear in case that lumbering brute returns? I am king of all Titans! I do not cower, and neither should our fellow Planet Killers! This world is_ ** **mine** ** _!”_ **

****

**_“Don’t you mean_ ** **ours** ** _?”_  ** Ni quietly asked. More lightning flashed above them, signaling the growing tension between the two heads.

  

  “Woah, woah, guys!” Jack yelled, gripping onto Ichi’s back spike. “We don’t have to fight! We all own this world together, come on!”

  

 **_“Jack is right,”_** San agreed. He stayed lowered toward the water, watching his brothers nervously, in case one of them decided to attack him for speaking out and interrupting their argument. **_“We are the one who is many! We are brothers together, not separate! Please, let us all just calm down and come to our senses.”_ **

****

  Ichi sighed. He breathed in and out of his nose, slowly, before nodding. **_“San and Jack share good points. Come, Ni, we should not be fighting. I was wrong of saying this world is just mine. It is ours, together, along with San and Jack.”_ **

****

  Ni eyed him suspiciously. He growled and looked away. **_“I allowed my anger to get the best of me. Forgive me, brother. I will speak of Godzilla no more.”_ **

****

  Jack and San relaxed. Everything seemed to return to normal, for now. Ichi looked back to where Rodan had flown off. **_“You are probably right, San. I am sure they are just still asleep. We will send out another call tomorrow. I will instruct Rodan to continue his watch.”_ **

****

**_“If that bird dares to defy us, I’ll rip his wings off,”_** Ni muttered.

  

**_“There will be no wing-ripping until he is no longer any use. Remember, all Titans must follow our every demand. Rodan is expendable.”_ **

****

  “When are we going to find Cara?” Jack asked.

  

 **_“Soon, little one.”_** Ichi smiled. Mothra couldn’t stay hidden forever. She would eventually have to come out of hiding to face him. Knowing her, she’d probably even challenge him to a battle. Like that would ever be a difficult task. He had always wanted to know how Lightner tasted.

****_“Come find us, little queen,”_**** he cooed. ****_“We are waiting.”_ **  
**


	21. New Plans

  Cara felt like a kid who was in trouble with her parents.

  

  Admiral Stenz certainly had a way of making her feel small.

  

  “Moscow. London. Now Washington D.C. On every continent, the Titans are triggering earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, and disasters we don’t even have names for yet.” The admiral was facing them with a weary but stern expression, as if none of this information had been brought up to Monarch, yet. “Now, as before, we have been trying to lure the creatures with nuclear materials, but this time, they are not taking the bait. Their behavior has become random, erratic. Our forces are spread thin, and with these things roaming the globe unimpeded, we are running out of options and time.”

  

_“What he is saying is incorrect,”_ Mothra commented. _“Ghidorah is having these Titans do his bidding as one. We answer to our king, and that is exactly what they are doing.”_

  “So it's like a wolf pack,” Cara whispered. “Ghidorah sends out the orders, and the other Titans receive and do them.” The concept was both terrifying and fascinating at the same time. To see these giant creatures having such an advanced hierarchy was amazing to her.

  

  “Excuse me,” Admiral Stenz said. “Do you have something to say?”

  

  Cara froze. All the focus was suddenly on her.

  

  “Uh, y-yes, I do.” She swallowed hard and tried to steady her voice. “The behavior of the Titans isn’t random or erratic. They’re moving as a pack. They’re hunting.”

  

  “And how would you know this? Do you expect me to believe a child knows more about the Titans than we do, while we’re the ones out there fighting these things?” Admiral Stenz looked at Mr. Serizawa. “Doctor, are you going to allow this?”

  

  Mr. Serizawa turned to Cara. He smiled and gave her a nod.

  

  “Here her out,” he said.

  

  Everyone was staring at her expectantly. Dr. Chen, Dr. Graham, Colonel Foster, Madison, Eddie, Noah-they were all waiting for her to speak.

  

  They saw her as a leader. The one who was going to fix everything. The one they could count on.

  

_“The role of a Bonded is to lead,”_ Mothra said. _“Stand tall, my child, and take your place as a hero.”_

  Cara straightened and faced Admiral Stenz. When she spoke, her words came out motivated and strong. “All packs, from wolves to killer whales, answer to an alpha. And Ghidorah is the new alpha of the Titans. Sir, they aren’t as simple as you think. The four new Titans do Ghidorah’s bidding because he’s their king. They will-they have to-do everything he says. If we stop him...we put an end to this chaos.”

  

  Admiral Stenz nodded slowly. He seemed slightly taken aback by how everyone was willing to have her advocate their claims. She could tell that he believed her, before he even responded.

  

  “I see,” he said. “Is there any other creature that could take this Ghidorah’s place?”

  

  “No,” Cara answered. “Godzilla was the only one. His rivalry with Ghidorah was ancient and unique. With him gone...I don’t think there’s any Titan strong enough to stop him.”

  

_“Oh, there is,”_ Mothra said bitterly. _“But those Titans are cowards. Godzilla was the only one brave enough to stand up to Ghidorah, as well as I, and a few others. Where those others are now, I do not know. But there is not enough time to seek them out.”_

  “So your saying that we killed our best shot at beating this thing?” Barnes asked.

  

  Cara nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said. “But that’s all I know.”

  

  Admiral Stenz was silent. He looked down at his boots and sighed. It was no secret that everyone was blaming Godzilla’s death on him. Now it seemed that he was rethinking if dropping the Oxygen Destroyer was a good idea, after all.

  

  The news feeds of the Titans played on with ominous foreboding.

                                                                                                       ---------

  

  Emma Russell was having a bad day.

  

  No, not just a bad day. A bad week. A bad year. A bad life in general.

  

  She watched the four new Titans continue on with their destruction, her hands folded over her mouth. This hadn’t been what she wanted. The Titans were supposed to be helping the world recover, not make it worse! Yes, she had always expected people to die, but never in a million years had she thought the Titans would intentionally go after cities like this. The deaths were skyrocketing way past the toll she had calculated before the mission had gone into effect.

  

  Was Madison alright? Was she safe? At least with Monarch Emma knew that her daughter would be okay. Now she wasn’t so sure. The very thought of losing Maddie, of finding out that her other child had died, was enough to make her want to end it all, to collapse to the floor and never get up again. She rubbed her eyes, feeling ill.

  

  What about Cara and Mothra? Where were they? Perhaps they could help repel the Titans from cities. Maybe they could order them to stop attacking humans.

  

  No, that wouldn’t work. Cara would never agree to help her after what Emma had forced her to do back in Antarctica. And she was pretty sure Mothra would kill her the moment the giant moth laid eyes on her.

  

  Emma groaned. God, she was supposed to be a scientist! Why was everything going so wrong?

  

  “Good afternoon, doctor.” Alan Jonah walked by her, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. “Enjoying the show?”

  

  Emma sprung out of her seat and ran after him. “Alan-Alan, wait. We need to talk.”

  

  Jonah stopped and turned to her. “What’s wrong?” he asked with a slight sneer. “Unhappy with the results of your supposed coexistence?”

  

  “Actually, yes, yes I am,” Emma curtly replied. “Alan, we need to stop this. It’s time to put the Titans back to sleep.”

  

  “I’m afraid it’s too late for that, doctor.” Jonah went to leave. “You made your decision, and I made mine. End of discussion.”

  

  “You don’t get it, Jonah!” Emma caught his arm and spung him back around to face her. “This changes everything. With Godzilla gone, Titanus Ghidorah isn’t using the Titans to restore the planet, he’s using them to destroy it. This isn’t coexistence. This is extinction.”

  

  “Listen, while you were sitting comfortably in some laboratory, we’ve been fighting for decades in one dirty war after another.” Jonah wrenched his hand out of her grasp. “I’ve seen human nature firsthand, and I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t get any better, it just gets worse. So I’m sorry that Titanus Ghidorah isn’t exactly what we were expecting, but we opened Pandora’s box, and there’s no closing it now.”

  

  Emma brooded angrily over his words, than realized something. “Maybe…” she said. “Maybe there is.”

  

  Jonah instantly understood where her line of thought was going. “Oh, don’t be stupid,” he laughed. “If you broadcast the ORCA again you will expose us all.”

  

  “These creatures communicate like whales, okay? They can hear sonar for thousands of miles…” A plan was already forming in Emma’s head, one that could possibly work. “Let’s send a team. Let’s broadcast the ORCA from Fenway. It’s just a few miles from here, I could use the stadium to amplify a signal that might stop these attacks. The city’s already being evacuated, so we’ll be safe.”

  

  “And then what?” Jonah asked. “What is going to happen when every Titan comes to Fenway?”

  

  Emma paused. “I-I don’t know. Figure out what the hell Titanus Ghidorah is and try to stop it before Monarch finds us.”

  

  “Ah yes, I’m sure your old friends will be very happy to see you again,” Jonah chuckled. “They’ll have a nice shiny pair of handcuffs to greet you on your return.”

  

  “We can’t just sit here, okay?” Emma threw her hands up into the air, exasperated. “This isn’t the world that we wanted.”

  

  “I seem to remember you telling me that the world always belonged to them,” Jonah said. “Maybe its time we give it back.”

  

  He turned and left, walking away with a sip of his damn coffee. Emma watched him go, then returned back to her desk. She closed the news feeds and switched into her email.

  

  She had work to do.

                                                                                                     —————

  

  Cara was sitting outside, her legs dangling over the edge of the oil rig that hid Castle Bravo. The water churned and swirled below, and she watched it mournfully, being reminded of glowing blue back spikes and that loud intimidating roar.

  

  She heard footsteps behind her and turned, expecting to see Madison coming over to her. Instead, she was surprised to see Eddie instead.

  

  “Hey,” he said, sitting down next to her.

  

  “Hey.” Cara smiled at him. “Where’s Noah? I thought you were watching him so he wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

  

  “He’s talking to Madison. Apparently they both absolutely love 80s pop music, so now they’re both geeking out.”

  

  Cara laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

  

  “Do you like her?”

  

  Cara nearly choked on her own saliva. “W-What?”

  

  “Madison. Do you think she’s a good person?” Eddie’s gaze was fixed out on the ocean. “Do you think we can trust her?”

  

  “Oh-Oh, you meant it like _that!_ ” Cara breathed out in relief. “Thank god.”

  

  “What other way would I mean?” Eddie asked.

  

  “Nothing, just forget it.” Cara sighed. “I think she’s cool. She’s not like her mom. I seriously believe she wants to help.”

  

  “Is she part of our club now, too?” Eddie said.

  

  “Yeah. I mean, if you want her to.” Cara looked at him. “Just because I’ve been hanging out with Madison a lot doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about you and Noah, Eddie.”

  

  “I know. I’m not jealous or anything.” Eddie sighed. “I’m just worried. About you, about Noah and Mothra, about everyone. All of this is so intense and terrifying, I just-” He gestured forward, searching for the right words. “I just don’t want anyone I care about getting hurt.”

  

  “No ones gonna get hurt, Eddie.” Cara put a hand over his. “We’re all going to be fine. Ghidorah isn’t going to kill any of us. I won’t let him hurt you, Noah, or Mothra. I promise.”

  

  Eddie looked at her with absolute wonder in his eyes. “How can you be so confident?” he asked. “How can you watch people you love suffer and still want to go on?”

  

  Cara pulled him into a hug. “Because the people I love are worth fighting for. No matter the cost.”

  

  He hugged her back, and Cara felt guilty for pulling him along with her. So many aspects of this adventure they were on could be summed up into absolute nightmares. And yet her friends had stuck by her side the entire time. She promised herself that nothing bad would happen to Eddie, Noah, Mothra, and Madison. No matter what Ghidorah threw at her, no matter how many Titans were sent after them, she swore that she’d protect her friends until her last breath.

  

  Suddenly, she heard Mothra let out a gasp. A flare of warmth spasmed through her muscles, and she lurched away from Eddie.

  

  “Mothra?” she called. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  

  Mothra was shaking, but not with fear; Cara could sense shock coming from her. She spoke with a stunned tone.

  

_“I-I felt him.”_

  “Felt who?” Cara gave Eddie a baffled look. “Ghidorah? Who are you sensing, Mothra?”

  

_“Godzilla. He’s-He’s near. He’s calling to me. I-I can feel it.”_ Mothra sounded like she was about to cry tears of pure joy. 

_“My child, our king is alive.”_

  

  

  

  

  


	22. Godzilla Found

  Cara and Eddie burst into the command center with ecstatic excitement, earning them many different looks from the people around them. They made a beeline straight for Dr. Chen and Mr. Serizawa, ignoring anyone else to attempted to speak to them, not caring if they came off as rude or not.

  

  All over Cara’s arms and legs, blue marking pulsed brightly. She assumed this was because of Mothra; her Titan was so happy that Godzilla was alive, so relieved, her bioluminescence was shining through Cara like a beacon. She kept going on and on about being able to sense Godzilla, and that they had to find him immediately. She wasn’t about to disagree with her.

  

  “Dr. Chen!” Cara yelled. “Mr. Serizawa!”

  

  “Cara?” Dr. Chen turned to her and Eddie, blinking when Cara flared blue again. “What is going on? What’s happening?”

  

  “I-It’s Mothra, Dr. Chen!” Cara was unable to stop smiling. “She says Godzilla’s alive! He’s not dead!”

  

  “What?” Mr. Serizawa moved to Dr. Chen’s side. “How does she know?”

  

  “She says she can sense him.” Cara hopped from foot to foot, impatient. “She says we have to get to him now! Come on, come on!”

  

  “Okay, okay, don’t panic!” Mr. Serizawa looked over to Stanton. “Stanton! Start up the submarine! We’re leaving!”

  

  “What?” Stanton asked. “Why?”

  

  Mr. Serizawa grinned. “We are going to find the king.”

                                                                                                  ~--~

 

  The flight was long, a good hour away from Castle Bravo. Mothra flew slowly, staying with the submarine the others were on, but Cara could tell she wanted to go faster. The wind whipped madly around her, and below them the water was rough, but Mothra paid it no mind, her wings slicing effortlessly through the air as they continued onward.

 

  “How can you sense him?” Cara asked. “Is it because your the queen?”

  

 _“I share a relationship with Godzilla,”_ Mothra said. _“It is a tradition for our two species, to stick together through life and rebirth when we need each other. Godzilla is in need, so I go to aid him.”_

  “Is it the other way around, too?” Cara said.

  

 _“Yes. We have a bond that goes well beyond friendship.”_ Mothra suddenly stopped, hovering over the water. _“Hush! I hear him!”_

  Cara fell silent. Mothra opened her mouth and began to sing a strange tune, one that was both beautiful and unsettling at the same time. Her wings glowed, shining like twin stars, casting their rays down onto the water.

  

  And then Cara heard it. An answering call.

  

  “W-Was that him?” Cara exclaimed.

  

 _“Yes,”_ Mothra answered. _“He is right below us. We can use that submarine your friends are riding to get to him. Get ready, I am going to let you down onto the vessel.”_

  Mothra slowly lowered, hovering just over the submarine, so close that she could have touched it with her longer forelegs. She put down her wing, and Cara quickly slipped off of her back, landing neatly onto the submarine’s deck.

  

  Once again, a bright line shone, and Mothra returned to her body. Cara hurried over to the door that lead down to the submarine’s interior and knocked hard.

  

  A pause, and then it opened. Dr. Chen greeted her with a relieved look.

  

  “We found him,” Cara said. “He’s below us.”

  

  Dr. Chen nodded. “Come inside,” she said. “We have much to discuss.”

  

  Cara entered, and Dr. Chen closed the door. She followed her down into the submarine’s command room, which was rather roomy for such a narrow vessel. Mr. Serizawa, Dr. Graham, Stanton, Noah, Eddie, and Madison were all there, along with some Monarch soldiers and crew.

  

  “Stanton recorded Mothra’s song,” Dr. Graham said. “And we heard Godzilla’s call.”

  

  “He’s still alive,” Madison said. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks. “Thank god, he’s still alive.”

  

  “Can we track him, somehow?” Mr. Serizawa asked.

  

  Stanton typed some things into his computer. “Yeah, the signal’s strong. It’s like he’s right below us.”

  

  “That’s because he is,” Cara said.

  

  “Oh.” Stanton blinked. “Okay, then. Yeah. We can do it.”

  

  Mr. Serizawa rubbed his chin. “How many nuclear missiles do we have?”

  

  “Uh, why?” Stanton asked.

  

  “We can help him,” Mr. Serizawa answered. “We can help him heal.”

  

  “No, Ishiro, you can’t be serious,” Dr. Graham gasped.

  

  “It’s the only way,” Mr. Serizawa argued.

  

  “Woah, woah, hold up, hold up.” Noah put his hands in the air and stepped into their conversation. “Before we start talking about nukes and healing giant radioactive monsters, can we first come up with a reasonable, non-life threatening plan? Like, one that doesn’t involve us getting blown up?”

  

  “Godzilla feeds off of nuclear energy,” Mr. Serizawa explained. “It helps him recharge his atomic fire. If we can somehow get a nuclear missile down to him, we could possibly help his healing go faster.”

  

  “So, you want to bring Godzilla back from the dead,” Stanton observed.

  

  Mr. Serizawa nodded. “Yes.”

  

  “Yeah, this totally won’t backfire on us,” Noah muttered.

  

  “It’s a longshot, but what other choice do we have?” Cara said. “Godzilla’s the only one who can defeat Ghidorah. We _have_ to save him.”

  

  “I say we try it,” Madison said. “It’s our last chance. Who knows what will happen if we don’t heal him now?”

  

  Mr. Serizawa took in a deep breath. He looked at Stanton. “Contact Castle Bravo. Get me Colonel Foster. We have much to talk about.”

                                                                                             ----                                                                                                                         

  

  “This category 6 hurricane is where King Ghidorah is nesting,” Colonel Foster said. They were back speaking to her from a video cam, all eyes on her as she stood in front of a giant computer that depicted a layout of Washington D.C. “Working with all four branches of the military, this has to be a joint operation, to lure him and Rodan away from the mainland so we can continue evacuations, long enough for our submersible team to complete its mission. You’ll be out of range while your down there, but a squadron will stay behind to keep an eye out for you.”

  

  “Thank you, Colonel,” Mr. Serizawa said. “We appreciate all of your help.”

  

  “No problem.” Her face was grim. “Good luck, guys. Stay safe.”

  

  The video cam switched off. Mr. Serizawa looked at the captain of the submarine. “Take us down,” he said. “Make the depth 150.”

  

  The captain nodded and got to work. Sirens began going off as the submarine began to move, tilting downward as it dove, dove, dove, away from the surface and the outside world.

  

  Butterflies fluttered nervously in Cara’s stomach. She couldn’t stop herself from pacing back and forth. The spots on her arms continued to flash blue, brighter and brighter the more they descended.

  

  “Your going to give yourself an aneurysm if you keep stressing yourself out like this,” Noah said.

  

  “I’m nervous,” Cara retorted.

  

  “We all are,” he answered. “But your being _too_ nervous. What’s up?”

  

  Cara didn’t answer. Noah waited a few seconds before grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look him in the eyes. “Cara,” he repeated, eyes soft with concern. “What’s up?”

  

  She took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to calm her beating heart. “It’s just-how are we going to do this? How are we going to set off a bunch of nukes without killing yourselves in the process? This plan is dangerous, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt, and-”

  

  “Woah, woah, woah,” Noah said. “Slow down. We’re going to figure this out. Everything’s going to be fine. These guys know what they’re doing.” He glanced at Stanton and bit his bottom lip. “I hope.”

  

  Cara shook her head. “I’m just nervous-no, I’m scared. I don’t want you guys dying. Your my best friends.”

  

  “Hey, none of us are dying, alright?” Noah put on a cheery smile. “I’m still here, Eddie’s still here, and Madison, she’s still here, too. We’re going to be okay.”

  

  “You think so?” Cara asked.

  

  “Yeah. I know so.” Noah puffed out his chest and put his hands on his hips. “After all, it's gonna take more than a couple of nukes to take down this epic motherfucker!”

  

  Cara laughed. “God, Noah, what is wrong with you?”

  

  “Many things,” he replied. “I am quite retarded.”

  

  The submarine suddenly shook, causing them to nearly lose their balance. Cara caught Noah before he fell, and she winced when sirens began going off again.

  

  “What’s wrong?” Mr. Serizawa asked the captain.

  

  “Some sort of vortex’s got us, it’s dragging us down.” The captain gritted his teeth. “We’re gonna hit something. Brace for impact!”

  

  Cara and Noah hurried over to a set of chairs. Cara gripped the armrests as the shaking of the submarine intensified.

  

  “1,600 feet till impact. 800 feet. Emergency close, 200 feet! 100! 25!”

  

  The submarine shuddered. It thudded down on something solid, causing Cara to lurch back so hard she was afraid she might have gotten whiplash.

  

  For a moment, all was still. The lights flickered momentarily, before resuming normal power.

  

  Hesitantly, everyone got up.

  

  “Status report?” Mr. Serizawa asked.

  

  “Can’t fix our position, GPS is down.” The captain squinted at the submarine’s controls, puzzled. “But inertial says we’re...600 miles from departure.”

  

  “That can’t be,” Dr. Chen murmured.

  

  “Ha! I knew it, man!” Stanton jumped up with a triumphant whoop. 

  

  “The vortex was a tunnel into the hollow earth,” Dr. Chen said in awe. “It’s a subterranean...tunnel system that-that connects the entire planet.”

  

  “Doesn’t matter, I knew I was right!” Stanton did a little victory dance. “I told you, Chen! You owe me fifty bucks!”

  

  “Shut it, Rick!” Dr. Chen snapped.

  

  “We’ll take an emergency pull forward,” Mr. Serizawa said. “Launch probes.”

  

  The captain pressed a button, and two screens turned on. They showed twin live cams of the surrounding area, thanks to the underwater drones that the cameras were attached to. The captain pressed a few more buttons, and the drones moved forward together, heading into the gigantic chamber that lay in front of them.

  

  Cara leaned forward, eyes widening at what the cams showed. The chamber seemed to be some sort of temple, with countless carvings spreading across the huge walls. The spotlights from the drones illuminated scenes that were eerily familiar to the carvings from the Temple of the Moth; one was a group of people bowing to what looked to be Godzilla. Another showed Godzilla fighting alongside Mothra and a spiked Titan against three other Titans, one of them being Ghidorah, the other two unrecognizable.

  

  “Where are we?” she whispered to Mothra.

  

 _“Our king’s palace,”_ her Titan simply replied.

  

  “Jesus,” Stanton breathed at the sight of the imposing carvings. “Who made these things?”

  

  “Looks Egyptian,” Dr. Graham observed. “Or Roman.”

  

  “No,” Cara said. “This is something different. Something older.” She felt a vague kinship with this place, as if she had once roamed about this chamber and touched the carvings with her bare hands. “I feel...I feel like I’ve been here before.”

  

  “What does Mothra say?” Dr. Chen asked.

  

  “She said it’s our king’s palace. _Godzilla’s_ palace.”

  

  “Pan right,” Mr. Serizawa ordered.

  

  The drones turned, brightening up the largest carving of them all. It was Godzilla, a crown atop his head, the rays of a stone sun shining behind him. At his feet, multiple rows of tiny humans, all on their knees, gray faces turned to look up at Godzilla in wonder.

  

  “Oh, my,” Dr. Graham gasped. “All the legends. The stories. They’re true. They really were the first gods.”

  

  “If only the Earth and the stones could speak, the stories they would tell us,” Dr. Chen wondered.

  

  “Dr. Stanton,” Mr. Serizawa said. “Any sign of Godzilla?”

  

  “Yeah, the probes are picking up a radioactive blob just past that ridge.” Stanton pointed over the captain’s shoulder to a large mountain-like formation.

  

  “Set the course,” Mr. Serizawa said.

  

  The drones began to move forward, but then suddenly stopped. The cameras abruptly cut out, leaving nothing but a static screen.

  

  “What happened?” Mr. Serizawa asked.

  

  “It’s the radiation,” Stanton answered. “It caused them to short circuit. There’s some sort of air pocket in there that’s emitting it.”

  

  “Pull up the last frame,” Mr. Serizawa said.

  

  The screens turned back on, showing another chamber, this one glowing a bright red. It was filled with molten lava, Cara realized; this was Godzilla’s lair.

  

  “This chamber is the source of the radiation,” Mr. Serizawa said. “That’s why he’s here. He’s feeding. Regenerating.”

  

  “This is how he’s survived for so long,” Dr. Chen said. “This is his home. Always adapting. Evolving. It’s incredible.”

  

  “So, the dude’s got this covered, right?” Stanton asked. “H-He just needs a little nap.”

  

  “No. The process could take years.” Mr. Serizawa shook his head. “We have to proceed as planned.”

  

  “Hang on, woah,” Noah interjected. He pushed his way into the group. “We’re gonna launch a nuclear torpedo to revive a giant monster.” He looked baffled. “This isn’t like we’re jumpstarting a car, people. If we do this, we could die!”

  

  “And if we don’t do it, _he_ could die!” Madison said, pointing at the paused camera frame. “We have to do this, Noah! If we don’t, you can kiss humanity goodbye!”

  

  “There’s another complication,” the captain said. “Our weapons systems were damaged when we crashed.” His face was grim. “We can’t launch.”

  

  Cara’s heart sank. Dr. Graham spoke. “Can it be repaired?”

  

  The captain shook his head. “I’m afraid not. We don’t have the tech on board to do so.”

  

 _“No, there has to be another way!”_ Mothra cried. _“We cannot give up now! Not when we are this close!”_

  “That’s it, than? We make it all the way here, and then find out it was all for nothing?” Noah said in disbelief.

  

  No one answered him. There was a helpless air to the room; no one knew what to do at this point.

  

  “What if…” Stanton murmured. “What if we go inside, set a timer, and blow up the warhead manually?”

  

  “No way,” the captain said. “If the heat doesn’t fry you, the radiation will.”

  

  “I’ll go,” Mr. Serizawa suddenly said.

  

  “ _What_?” Dr. Chen exclaimed.

  

  “What the hell does that mean?” Noah asked.

  

  “Ishiro, please, there has to be another way,” Dr. Graham begged. “It’s a suicide mission.”

  

  “Yeah, just like I was _telling_ you guys from the beginning!” Noah yelled.

  

  “Noah, shut up!” Cara hissed, elbowing him sharply in the ribs. “Now really isn’t the time!”

  

  “There is no time for debate,” Mr. Serizawa said. “I’ll go.” 

  

  “No.” Dr. Chen shook her head. “I won’t allow it. I refuse to.”

  

  “Let me go,” Cara said. “I’m basically half-Titan. I may be able to withstand the warhead’s blast after I set it off.”

  

  “Absolutely not,” Mr. Serizawa said. “You are the only one who can effectively communicate and reason with the Titans. The world needs you more than it needs me.”

  

  “Would Titanus Mosura be able to protect you from the blast?” Dr. Graham asked with a desperate, hopeful edge.

  

  “Mothra?” Cara inquired.

  

 _“We have never done anything like this before,”_ she replied. _“I can’t say you’ll survive...but we can do it.”_

  Cara took in a deep breath. “It’ll be fine,” she assured, more to herself than to Mothra. “We can...we’ll just come back, anyway. It’ll be okay.”

  

 _“Your bravery is admirable,”_ Mothra said. _“Do not fret, my child. An egg has already been laid_. _We will return. Tell them I agree to the plan.”_

  

  Cara closed her eyes. She thought of Mr. Serizawa and Dr. Chen and Coleman and everyone she met along this crazy, amazing journey. She thought of Godzilla, thought of Mothra. She thought of Madison, Eddie, Noah, and Jack.

  

  A beat of hesitation in her mind. She dismissed it and opened her eyes.

  

  “I’m going,” she said.

  

  “No!” Mr. Serizawa yelled.

  

  “Cara, you can’t!” Eddie, who had spoken for the first time since they had found the hollow earth tunnel, grabbed her hand and clutched it tightly. “Please, don’t do this! You may die!”

  

  “Please, Cara,” Noah said. “You’re our best friend, if you die-”

  

  “I have to do this,” Cara cut him off. She squeezed Eddie’s hand and pulled hers out of his grip. “This is what I was meant to do. What I _need_ to do. For all of you. For Jack. For Godzilla.”

  

  “No!” Mr. Serizawa repeated. “I refuse to allow you to sacrifice yourself! You are too young! Too important! You are too-!”

  

  The submarine suddenly rocked. Everyone swayed on their feet.

  

  A small ping sounded from the vessel’s computers.

  

  “What was that?” Dr. Chen asked.

  

  The captain observed the notification that had come up. His face dropped.

  

  “The minisub’s been released.”

  

  “What?” Mr. Serizawa said.

  

  “It’s been engaged. Someone’s taken out the minisub.” The captain tapped a few things into the computer. “I can’t access it. All communications are down.”

  

  “But that makes no sense,” Dr. Chen said. “Everyone is right here. Who could have…?”

  

  Cara was looking at each face, picking them out and matching them to an identity. A horrifying idea had begun to plant itself in her brain, and it was rapidly growing as she counted everyone who was there.

  

  “Where’s Madison?” she asked.

  

  They all looked at her. The expressions on their faces confirmed that they had no idea.

  

  “Where’s Madison,” Cara repeated. A numb feeling was creeping up her body, starting at her feet and moving toward the tips of her fingers. “Was she with us? Does anyone have any idea where she went?”

  

  Mr. Serizawa’s face turned as white as a ghost. He looked down at the little pinging notification. “No…” he breathed.

  

  A spinning sensation caught Cara in its hold, a sense of vertigo passing through her, feeling as if someone had sliced her arms off. Tears formed in her eyes, and she clutched her head, that numbness covering her entirely, wrapping around her brain like a twisted blanket of despair.

  

  She crumpled forward and let out an anguished howl, one that did not sound too far off from the one Mothra had emitted after Godzilla had disappeared.

                                                                                             ----

  

  Madison admitted to herself that she had abandoned all logical thought, relying on nothing else but emotion to steer her actions.

  

  She only realized it after she was driving the minisub into Godzilla’s underwater lair.

  

  The controls were simplistic, and it hadn’t taken her long to get the hang of steering the little submarine without crashing into anything. The nuclear warhead sat beside her, a stark reminder of what she was about to do, and how she wasn’t going to survive it.

  

  She didn’t regret her decision, though. Madison couldn’t allow Mr. Serizawa or Cara to sacrifice themselves for Godzilla. They hadn’t done anything wrong, were only trying to save the world from Ghidorah. Her mother had caused this whole mess, and Madison had allowed her. She had to be the one. It was only fair, since she had contributed to Ghidorah’s rise to power, even approved of it in the beginning.

  

  Madison couldn’t bear the thought of Cara dying. Cara, the one who had shown her nothing but kindness and trust, even though she had been working against her in the beginning, the first real friend she ever truly had. Cara, with that sweet, fearless smile and her warm, chiming laugh, the person that she was…that she was…

  

  Madison shook her head and focused on the path in front of her, refusing to think about what she was losing any longer. If she did, then she might convince herself to turn around and go back to the submarine, allowing Cara or Mr. Serizawa to take her place and die.

  

  The minisub’s controls suddenly let out loud whining sounds, and then went dead. Madison pressed a few buttons, feeling the panic immediately begin to swell in her chest, until she realized that she had hit the air pocket, and was rapidly ascending to the surface. With a loud _bloop_ , the minisub arrived at its destination, floating gently to land.

  

  For a moment, she sat there, the only noises being her rapid-tempo breaths and the bubbling of the magma spilling throughout the entire chamber.

  

_The magma spilling throughout the entire chamber._

_Thank god I have a suit._

  Madison pressed the emergency release button, and the minisub’s top popped open with soundless motion. She stepped out onto the stone platform that waited for her, hauling the warhead out of the sub and into her arms. That was one thing her mother had done right, it seemed; all that training and teaching, how to use a gun, how to drive a car, how to manually wire and set off a nuke...Madison had thought her mom was crazy for teaching her all of this. Now it seemed Dr. Russell was getting the last laugh, a sort of revenge for all the complaining Madison had done during her lectures.

  

  It made her chuckle. What would her mother think when she found out her daughter had given up her life using the same exact skills she had taught her? It was a humorous thought.

  

  The radiation suit she had taken was baggy and oversized on her, but that didn’t stop Madison from slowly climbing up the seemingly endless steps that lead up to a gigantic alter. Sweat poured down her cheeks as she strained under the weight of the warhead and the heat from the magma. It splashed all around her, leaping upward like hellish red waves, sweltering and nearly unbearable.

  

  Madison wasn’t going to allow anything to stop her. The only thing that gave her the will to keep moving was the giant dorsal plates that were visible through the smog that surrounded the altar, and a smiling mental image of Cara in her head.

  

  Salty tears mingled with her sweat. She ignored them and forced her legs to climb faster.

  

  She finally arrived at the altar, nearly collapsing with exhaustion after she stepped onto the smooth stone floor. Madison set down the warhead as carefully as possible. She flipped open the case and pulled it out, standing it upright.

  

  For a moment, she stared at her reflection through its shiny silver surface. A weary, broken-down girl looked back at her, the definition of weak and useless.

  

  Cara’s voice wafted in her ears. _“Your not useless...your the strongest out of all of us...I’m proud of you…”_

  

  Madison pulled off her gloves and helmet, gasping for breath. The heat was significantly worse without protection; she was going to end up with some serious third-degree burns.

  

  It didn’t matter, though. She was going to die, anyway.

  

  She paused, her hand wavering over the warhead’s manual panel. _One minute ought to do. It’ll give me enough time to thank Godzilla for what he’s done._

  

  With a shaking hand, she pressed the number 1 button. All that was left to do was activate the warhead, and it would all be done.

  

_“You do not have to sacrifice yourself to save me, child.”_

  Madison froze.

  

  Behind her, heavy breath ghosted over her back.

  

  She turned to stare into Godzilla’s gaze.

  

  He acknowledged her with a very slow blink, gray eyes heavy with weariness and pain. She thought she saw the edges of his mouth curl into a small, gentle smile.

  

 _“I hate that we have to reunite under these terms.”_ The great beast sighed. _“But neither of us seem to have a choice.”_

  Madison stood up. Her entire body was shaking with the realization that she could understand the enormous creature in front of her.

  

  “H-How,” she stammered. “H-H-How can I-I…”

  

_“You know very well why this is happening, little flame.”_

  In the back of her mind, a flicker of memory. It was vague, and barely visible, but it was there.

  

  “But we were both in Antarctica,” she said. “A-And you didn’t know me, and I-”

  

 _“Time is a cruel, cruel thing,”_ Godzilla wheezed. _“It pulls our fondest moments out of our brains, carries them through the clouds and the sea, whisks them away to some unknown realm, until we need them again.”_ His nostrils flared, dust and smoke fluttering around him. _“Our souls may be connected, but our memories...they will disappear, remain forever gone, unless we search for them.”_

  Madison’s legs moved on their own free will. They only stopped when she was standing directly in front of Godzilla. Hesitantly, she reached up and rested her palm against his nose.

  

_“Madison, it is time to remember.”_

  

  An intense warmth flared up along her spine.

 

  And a blinding blue light filled the chamber, swallowing everything in sight.

                                                                                                      ----

  

  The submarine had arrived to the surface a little over a minute ago, and was greeted with two military ships that were waiting for them. After a brief exchange of words over intercoms, the decision to remain in place and wait to see if Madison had completed her goal was established.

  

  Cara didn’t feel like waiting. She didn’t feel like doing anything. All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry.

  

  Eddie and Noah were trying their best to comfort her. So was Mothra, Dr. Chen, and everyone else on the submarine that she knew. Mr. Serizawa hasn’t said a single word; he was standing across from her on the submarine’s deck, staring out at the stormy gray ocean. It was his way of mourning, she knew. He hasn’t known Madison well, but the loss of a kid under his watch must have been especially blowing on his conscience.

  

  “She was brave,” Noah was murmuring. “Really brave. And she was out friend.”

  

  “I can’t believe she’s really gone,” Eddie said.

  

  “It should’ve been me.” Cara slammed her fist down on the metal railing, ignoring the sparks of pain that ricocheted through her arm. “I should’ve been the one. She’s dead, and it’s all my fault.”

  

  “It’s not your fault, Cara,” Eddie said.

  

  “Yeah, she chose to go down there,” Noah agreed. “None of this had to do with you.”

  

  “At least I would’ve come back! Mothra and I would’ve been reborn! But she’s gone forever, and it’s on me!” Cara flung her hand outward and released a huge light blast from her hand. It went straight into the water, making it glow a bright gold and violently churn.

  

  “Cara, woah, calm down.” Noah placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Your going to hurt yourself.”

  

 _“Cara, do not blame yourself for Madison’s death,”_ Mothra soothed. _“It is not your fault. Listen to your friends, please.”_

  Cara shook her head. Tears fell from her eyes down onto the deck. “First Jack, and now Madison,” she whimpered. “God, how many more of the people I care about are going to die? It _is_ my fault, Mothra, it’s _all_ my fault! Everything that’s happened stems back to me releasing Ghidorah. _It’s all because of me_!”

  

  “Uh, Cara?” Noah asked. “Did your light blast do something to the water?”

  

  Cara wiped her tears away. She looked at the water and blinked.

  

  The ocean was swirling, a large indent appearing in front of the submarine, as if something was sucking the water downward from below. Cara gripped the railing as the vessel rocked, watched in fascination as the strange whirlpool-like phenomenon deepened.

  

  “What in the world?” Eddie said.

  

  The door to the submarine opened, and Dr. Chen, Dr. Graham, and Stanton came running out. Their eyes widened at the strange spectacle, expressions unbelieving.

  

  “What’s going on?” Dr. Chen yelled. “What-?”

  

  All of the sudden, something broke the surface of the whirlpool. A head, followed by a chest, and then a body and tail.

  

 _“The king returns!”_ Mothra trilled.

  

  Godzilla towered majestically over the submarine, water from his arrival splashing onto them. His eyes were glowing an electric blue, and his dorsal plates were flashing.

  

  The Titan’s chest puffed out, and he tilted his head, atomic fire shooting into the gray sky with power that had never been seen in him before. It was so beautiful, so bright, that it made Cara want to fall to her knees and scream out her joy at seeing him alive.

  

  It was like standing before God Himself.

  

  The atomic fire ended, and Godzilla looked down, remnants of his roar mingling in the air.

  

  He spotted them almost immediately, the intensity of his glare making all of them flinch. But then he made eye contact with Cara, and his features instantly lightened. Godzilla leaned downward, coming just inches away from the submarine.

  

  “Nobody move!” Me. Serizawa said.

  

  Cara stepped forward, ignoring his orders. Tentatively, she reached out and touched Godzilla’s nose.

  

  “Cara, be careful!” Dr. Chen yelled.

  

  “It’s okay,” Cara called back. “He won’t hurt us. He knows we helped him.”

  

  Godzilla rumbled softly. He brought his claws forward and spread his cupped talons.

  

  Cara cried out.

  

  Cradled in his palms was Madison-extremely wet and shivering profusely, but alive.

  

  Cara launched herself into Godzilla’s claws, paying no mind to the panicked shouts from her friends. She pulled Madison into her arms, holding her close.

 

  “Madison,” she whispered. “Madison, wake up. It’s me, it’s Cara. You did it. You brought Godzilla back to life.”

  

  Madison groaned. Her eyes fluttered open. The moment she saw Cara, she smiled. “Hey,” she murmured.

  

  Cara laughed, tears running down her cheeks. “Hi.”

  

  “What happened?” Madison sat up slowly, wincing as she rubbed her head. “Argh, my head hurts. How am I still alive? Where’s Godzilla?”

  

 _“Right here,”_ Godzilla said. He brought them up and nuzzled them fondly. _“You saved my life, Madison. I had to return the favor.”_

  Madison hugged his nose. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Cara stared at Godzilla, stared at Madison, then back at Godzilla. Her friend could hear what the Titan was saying; she could understand him just as well as she could. Her mouth dropped.

  

  “No fucking way,” she breathed. “Madison, your-your Godzilla’s Bonded!”

  

 _“Well, then this is certainly a surprise!”_ Mothra commented.

  

  Madison nodded. “That’s how I brought him back,” she explained. “I didn’t set off the warhead. All I had to do was touch him, and somehow, I-I restored his strength.” She smiled up at Godzilla. “I only realized I was a Bonded back in Antarctica. I could understand everything Ghidorah, Mothra, and Godzilla were saying. But I didn’t know if I was Godzilla’s Bonded or not.”

  

  “But why didn’t you _tell_ me?” Cara exclaimed. “Why did you keep it a secret?”

  

  Madison’s face fell at the sound of her exasperated tone. She hung her head. “I was afraid,” she murmured. “I didn’t know how to react, how to say that I could speak to Titans, too. I was afraid that my mom would use me to wake up other Titans, like she used you. I-I didn’t want people to be scared.” She looked back up at Cara. “Please don’t be mad at me. I-I was going to tell you eventually. I was just scared.”

  

  Cara sighed, then smiled. She wrapped her arms around her friend and pulled her close, resting her forehead against hers. “I could never be mad at you,” she said. “Never in a million years. I’m just happy that you're alive.”

  

  Madison made a content purring noise, and leaned closer to Cara’s body. For a moment, the two of them sat there, foreheads connected, eyes closed in happy bliss. Cara never wanted this moment to end.

  

 _“Forgive me for interrupting the moment, but we still have a certain Voider to kill, and we are rapidly running out of time.”_ Godzilla lowered them back to the submarine and let them slide off onto the deck. _“Madison, I am going to merge our souls together. It may feel weird, but it will not last long. After that, we can go find Ghidorah.”_ Godzilla stepped back and straightened. _“Cara, you may want to tell our friends that they should shield their eyes. This is going to be intense.”_

_Our friends._ Cara beamed at his words. This was a clear sign that Titans and humans could coexist peacefully. Godzilla saw the others as allies and equals, as did Mothra; if every Titan could see humans the same way, the world would be perfect.

 

  “Guys, cover your eyes!” Cara called. “Godzilla is going to go into Madison!”

  

  “What?” Eddie said. “How is he going to do tha-?”

  

  He didn’t finish, because Godzilla let out a roar, and began to glow. Cara covered her eyes as he grew brighter, and brighter, until the light shone through her eyelids like a giant flashlight. The light pulsed one more time, then vanished.

  

  When she opened her eyes, Godzilla was gone. Madison had her eyes closed, her head tilted up-and then she started with a gasp, her irises gleaming blue before dulling back to their normal warm brown color.

  

  “Wow,” Madison said in a hushed tone. “That felt... _amazing._ ”

  

  “What just happened?” Eddie asked.

  

  “Madison,” Dr. Chen said. “Your-Your the Bonded of Godzilla!”

  

  “It is unbelievable.” Mr. Serizawa adjusted his glasses, staring at Madison in utter awe. “The other half of Godzilla’s soul has been with us the entire time. Absolutely incredible.”

  

  “Wait, so now Madison’s a Bonded, too?” Noah threw his hands up into the air. “Is there anyone else who wants to reveal that they have superpowers?”

  

  “Madison, turn around,” Cara said. She had noticed something strange, spied the soft hues of blue light glowing under Madison’s shirt.

  

  “Uh, okay.” Madison turned and displayed her back to her. Cara stepped forward and lifted up Madison’s shift.

  

  “Hey!” Madison yelped, cheeks turning red. “What the hell are you-!”

  

  “It’s your tattoo,” Cara said.

  

  Madison paused. “What?”

  

  “Your tattoo.” Cara shook her head and grinned. “A sign that you and Godzilla are one.”

  

  Running down Madison’s spine, starting at the back of her neck and ending at her torso, were a line of black spikes that perfectly resembled Godzilla’s dorsal plates.

  

  “Woah,” Noah whispered. “That’s fucking _awesome_.”

  

  Cara dropped Madison’s shirt and stepped away. “Godzilla’s alive,” she said. “And he’s back with his Bonded. That means our chances of defeating Ghidorah are doubled. We have to go find him and take him down.”

  

  “Right.” Mr. Serizawa nodded. He was back to his old self, no longer deflated and defeated. “Stanton, tell the captain that we’re going.”

  

  “Uh, Cara?” Dr. Graham said. “Where exactly _is_ Ghidorah?”

  

  Cara looked at Madison. “Can you ask Godzilla where Ghidorah is?” she said.

  

  Madison nodded. “Um, Godzilla?” she said awkwardly, her cheeks going red with slight embarrassment as she seemingly talked to herself. “Can-Can you sense Ghidorah? Like, where he is?”

  

  A pause, before Madison nodded again. “Got it.” She looked at Cara. “Ghidorah’s up north. Godzilla says he can direct us as we go.”

  

  “No need for that,” Stanton said.

  

  “Why?” Mr. Serizawa questioned.

  

  “Because the big bad dragon’s location is all over the news.” Stanton showed them his phone. On it played a video of that familiar golden shape circling above a landmark that Cara recognized. Fenway Park. “He’s in Boston. Why, no one knows. But you can hear some sort of strange wailing noise in the background.”

  

  “The ORCA,” Madison said. Her face fell. “My mom’s there!”

  

  “Oh joy, that means the eco-terrorists are there, too,” Noah muttered.

  

  “It doesn’t matter,” Mr. Serizawa said. “We have to go now.” He headed back to the door. “Let’s move!”

  

  “Are you ready for this, Mothra?” Cara asked as they followed him.

  

 _“Of course!”_ Mothra answered. _“I have been looking forward to giving that disgusting Voider a piece of my mind! With our king with us, we cannot lose!”_

  “I’m glad we’re together.” Cara looked at Noah, Eddie, and Madison, smiling with happiness and relief. “I’m happy we’re all together, as a team. I’m proud to be your Bonded, Mothra. I love you.”

  

 _“And I am proud to be your Titan, Cara.”_ Mothra’s voice was filled with warmth and adoration. _“I would never ask for any other human except you. I love you as well, with all of my heart, forever and always.”_

  Cara’s smile widened. She touched her tattoo, silently promising Mothra that she wouldn’t let her down.

  

 _We’re coming for you, Ghidorah,_ she thought fiercely. _Your reign is over. It’s time for the real king to take charge._


	23. Jack the Destroyer

  Emma Russell stood on the roof of Fenway Park, staring out at the barren city of Boston with her arms folded. The ORCA had been going on for about an hour, and from the multiple news channels that were blowing up by the second, her plan seemed to be working; the Titans had halted their attacks, were leaving their cities and moving together without so much as touching a building. It was amazing to see firsthand that the ORCA was so powerful that it was strong enough to overpower Ghidorah’s own alpha call. If she was able to keep this up, than perhaps there was a way she could lure the Titans to the evacuated Boston, where no lives would be in danger.

  

  Lives. Emma winced. Only a few hours ago she had been perfectly fine with the idea of half of humanity being destroyed. And she still would be, if not for Ghidorah and the destruction he was causing. If the giant golden Titan was allowed to keep this up, there wouldn’t be any remnants left of the human race; and that meant no Bondeds, either.

  

  What was going to happen to Cara? It wasn’t a secret that Mothra and Ghidorah were enemies; if the three-headed beast was allowed to continue his apocalypse, would he have the Titans under his commands kill the divine moth? Would they be able to even find Cara and Mothra? Where were they? Where was the rest of Monarch and her former friends? Where was Godzilla? Where was Maddie?

  

  She could only hope that her daughter was still alive. God, why had she ran off like that in Antarctica? Why had she grown so attached to Cara so quickly, that she would choose her over her own mother? It made no sense to Emma-but she was going to get to the bottom of it. She swore she would.

  

  She took out her phone and checked her email, searching for an answering message from her old friend, Vivienne Graham. Her heart sank when she saw nothing. Why wasn’t she responding to her? She had emailed her _five_ times, for god’s sake, where was she?

  

_She’s not going to actively communicate with a traitor, idiot._

  This made her wince again. She wasn’t afraid to admit that she felt guilty about betraying those she had grown close to at Monarch. But it was for the greater good. Once Ghidorah was taken care of and things resumed normally, they’d thank her for the releasing the Titans. The world would be restored to its pre-humanity glory, and they would see that she was right all along.

 

  A sudden gust of wind blew her hair into her face. Emma swiped it away, immediately noticing that the weather was changing. She put her phone away, squinting at the buildings.

  

  There was a fog rolling in, covering Boston in a thick gray haze, so strong that Emma couldn’t see through it. With it came more billowing winds, much stronger than the breezes Boston was used to, picking up way too fast to be natural. Emma looked up at the Fenway Park flags.

  

  They waved in the wind, then dropped. Emma blinked, perplexed.

 

  The flags suddenly sprung to life, flapping madly. The fog was nearly upon Fenway, and the clouds were growing increasingly unfriendly-looking, swirling overhead like the beginnings of a tornado.

 

  This wasn’t normal weather. No, Emma knew exactly who was causing this.

  

  She bolted for the door leading into the Fenway interior, slamming the door shut and locking it just as the storm bore down upon the baseball park with no mercy.

  

  She pressed her back up against the door and breathed out, heart beating a million miles a minute. Outside, the wind was howling, as if some great creature was roaring for her to come out and face her fate.

  

  The faces of Ghidorah flashed through her mind, but she quickly put it out of mind. He wouldn’t find her. All she had to do was sneak out of the city with the ORCA, and she would be safe, if only temporarily. Until he caught up to her, or she found some miraculous way to kill him.

  

  Emma hurried over to the ORCA and unplugged it from the loudspeakers. She put it in its case and locked it, making sure it was secure and inactive.

  

  All of a sudden, the door handle began to jiggle.

  

  Emma’s heart stopped.

  

  The handle moved again. There were a series of loud knocks. And then silence.

  

  Emma’s breath quickened. She stared at the door like a deer in the headlights. Nothing happened. The only noise was the wind.

  

  Suddenly, there was a sound like an engine whirring to life, and the door went flying off of its hinges with a horrible noise, careening into the wall with so much force that it was left embedded into the concrete.

  

  Emma threw herself under an announcer’s desk, curling up on her hands and knees with the ORCA cradled to her chest. She peered out from under the desk, her heart pounding loud in her ears.

  

  She saw a pair of worn-down boots, stepping with purpose as their owner walked into the room. Emma tried to steady her breathing, tried to slow her frantic heart. Who was this? One of Jonah’s henchmen? How had they found her? She had been sure to cover her tracks when she left the compound earlier today.

  

  A deep, cavernous growl rumbled from outside the doorway, one that was all too familiar to her. Emma covered her mouth, too terrified that she might somehow give herself away. She could almost imagine the three heads of Ghidorah peering into the room, teeth bared, teeth that she would disappear behind forever, if she wasn’t careful.

  

  “No, no sign of anyone.” The stranger in the room with her spoke back to the growl. They were male, and they sounded young, young enough to be Madison’s age.

  

  Jonah didn’t have any 14-year-old eco-terrorists on his team.

  

  Who was this?

  

  And why were they speaking to Ghidorah as if they could understand him?

  

_Maybe they can._

  Had Ghidorah somehow found his Bonded between the time he left Antarctica and when he had become the Titan alpha? If so, than she was in even more danger than she thought. From what Emma had seen at Outpost 32 with Cara, Bondeds had exceptionally powerful abilities, and a Bonded’s respective Titan could become even stronger when they were together. Ghidorah would be supercharged with his Bonded, adding that he would have an extra ally by his side.

  

  Emma didn’t have anything to defend herself against a Titan. All she had was the ORCA and a small pistol.

  

  If Ghidorah found her, she was dead.

  

  “Are you sure it was coming from here?” the stranger called. “What if it was coming from another part of the city?”

  

  Another growl. The stranger paused, then sighed. “Alright, I’ll take a look around. I doubt it’s here, though.”

  

  Footsteps reverberated throughout the room. Emma closed her eyes and silently prayed that the stranger didn’t find her, that she would somehow make it out of this alive.

  

  “There’s no one here,” the stranger said. “Let’s go check the rest of the city. Whoever was making the rival alpha call can’t be too far.”

  

  A disgruntled snort from Ghidorah. The stranger’s footsteps faded as they left the room.

  

  Emma breathed out, hanging her head as she allowed her body to relax. They were gone, for now. She could escape. She’d take the interior of Fenway out, get to her truck, and drive as far away from Boston as possible. And once she was sure she was safe, she’d call Vivienne. Maybe there was still a chance she could be forgiven and welcomed back into Monarch with open arms.

  

  She stood up, still holding the ORCA tightly, and turned around.

 

  A hand shot out and clasped around her throat. A pair of glowing yellow eyes met hers as the boy in front of her leered at her with an evil smile.

  

  “Nice try,” he hissed.

  

  Emma gasped. The boy stepped back and raised his arm, lifting her off the ground. He dug his nails into her windpipe, his smile widening when she choked out for breath.

  

  In an almost casual manner, he threw her halfway across the room. Emma cried out in pain as she hit the floor, neck burning after near suffocation.

  

  “I gotta hand it to you, Dr. Russell,” the boy said. “Your really good at hiding. I seriously almost thought there was no one in here.”

  

  Emma coughed, pushing herself upward. She turned to face the boy. “W-Who are you?” she sputtered.

  

  The boy put his hands in his pockets, that smug grin never leaving his face. “Don’t you recognize me? Don’t I look like someone familiar?”

  

  His hair was a golden blonde, and the yellow had left his eyes, showing their true color, a dark blue-gray.

  

  Recognition flashed through Emma’s head. “Your-Your Cara’s brother.”

  

  The boy nodded. “That’s right. Jack Walker, the Bonded of Ghidorah. I’m sure my _sister’s_ talked about me.”

  

  Emma was surprised at the hatred he spat out in the the word sister. She remembered Cara and Jack seeming to have an incredibly strong bond. When had he begun to dislike her?

  

  “I-I haven’t seen her since Antarctica,” she said.

  

  “Really?” Jack tilted his head. “Huh. So she’s not here with you?”

  

  Emma shook her head. “No.”

  

  “Damnit.” Jack gritted his teeth. “How the hell am I supposed to _kill_ her if she’s nowhere to be _found_?”

  

  “Why would you want to kill your sister?” Emma was baffled. “What did she ever do to you?”

  

  Jack glared at her. “She abandoned me. She left me for your stupid daughter. She turned her back on me and left me in Antarctica all because of that fucking-that fucking _queer-ass_ Madison!”

  

  Anger streamed through Emma’s system. “Don’t you dare talk about my daughter like that!” she yelled. “You have no right-!”

  

  She wasn’t allowed to finish, because Jack was suddenly upon her, his hand once again wrapped around her throat. Emma gagged on her words, eyes widening when she felt the crushing pressure of Jack’s fingers on her neck.

  

  “I have the _right_ to do whatever I _want_ ,” Jack growled into her face. “I’m the other half of the most powerful creature alive. I’m the Bonded of Ghidorah! _You_ don’t tell _me_ what to do.”

  

  Emma tried to shove him away from her, but it was impossible; the kid’s grip was vice-like, most likely due to the strength he got from the Titan half of his soul.

  

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Jack said. “First, I’m going to kill _you_. And then, I’m going to kill your daughter.” The thrill in his voice was undeniable, the bloodlust dripping off of his words like beads of sweat. “It’s your own fault it’s this way. After all, _you_ woke Ghidorah up. _You_ let us in. And now, _you_ are going to let us stay.” He tightened his grip on her. “Goodbye, doctor.”

  

  Horrible pain rippled through her system as her airflow was cut off entirely. Bursts of darkness filtered into Emmas’s vision, and her head felt heavy. She scrabbled at her neck, desperate to get Jack’s hand off of her, but to no avail. Her lungs were burning, her throat kept constricting uselessly as she tried to take even the slightest of breaths.

  

  All of a sudden, a bright light shone from the door, and a beam of blue energy went blasting into Jack’s side. Emma collapsed backwards as his hand flew off of her throat, gulping in air with heavy wheezes.

  

  Jack hit the wall and slumped to the floor. The blue glow subsided, and Emma looked at the door.

  

  Standing there was Cara, her hand up, blue rapidly fading as her skin returned to its normal color. Her eyes were wide with disbelief as she looked at her to Jack and back to her.

  

  “C-Cara,” Emma whispered. She giggled deliriously, her head still foggy from the lack of oxygen. “T-Thank god.”

  

  “Mom!” Someone else pushed past Cara and ran over to Emma’s side. It was Madison-she was here, alive and safe. Emma has never felt more relieved, to see that her daughter wasn’t dead and gone.

  

  “Maddie,” Emma breathed. She pulled her into a hug, tears leaking out of her eyes as she held her tight. “Maddie, y-you're alright.”

  

  “It’s okay, mom.” Madison was crying too, though she was smiling through it. “I’m here. It’s okay, everything’s okay.”

  

  “Is she alright?” Cara asked.

  

  “I’m fine.” Emma pushed herself to her feet, holding onto Madison’s arm. “Just-Just a little in pain, that’s all.” She looked at the blonde-haired girl, noticing how much she had seemed to grow since the last time she saw her. Cara held herself straight, the eyes of her moth tattoo shining like two mini pieces of lapis. “How did you find me?”

  

  “Godzilla,” Madison answered. “He told me where to go.”

 

  “Wait,” Emma said. “He-He told you? How-?”

  

  She was cut off by a raspy laughing from behind. They turned to see Jack struggling to his feet, laughing and coughing at the same time.

  

  “Oh-Oh this is _rich_ ,” he said. “This is _perfect_. The two people I want to kill the most come right to me! I guess I have to thank you, Dr. Russell!”

  

  Madison stepped in front of Emma, holding her arm out to shield her. Cara walked over to them, her expression one of shock. “Jack?”

  

  Jack grinned at her with all of his teeth. “Hey, Cara. Having a good time with you little girlfriend?”

  

  “Jack.” Cara looked to be on the verge of tears. She walked slowly towards him, hand out to touch his arm. “Jack, your-your alive!”

  

  Jack snarled, jerking away from her. “Don’t touch me!”

  

  Cara lurched back, flinching. Her smile disappeared. “Jack. What-What’s wrong?”

  

  “What’s wrong? _What’s wrong?_ You _left_ me! You left me for Madison! You chose her over me!”

  

  Cara shook her head, confused. “What are you talking about? I-I didn’t leave you! We thought you were dead! Ghidorah _killed_ you!”

  

  “No, Ghidorah saved me. He showed me who I really am. Who I really am to _you_. I’m his Bonded, and your Mothra’s Bonded. We’re enemies. We always have been, and always will be.” Jack was shaking with furious rage. “He showed me how you abandoned me for Madison. How you chose this _stupid nobody_ over your own brother!” He pointed savagely at Madison.

  

  “Jack, we’re not enemies. Your not the Bonded of Ghidorah. It-It can’t be true!”

  

  “Oh, really? You don’t believe me? Than believe _this_!” Jack’s eyes crackled yellow, and he flung his arm forward, sending a beam of electricity straight into his twin.

  

  “Cara!” Madison screamed.

  

  Cara wheeled backwards, grunting as she fell. Her eyes narrowed, and they began to glow blue. “Madison, get out of here.”

  

  “But-!” Madison started.

  

  “NOW!” Cara crossed her arms in an x, a giant shield of blue light going up around her just as Jack released another giant energy beam.

  

  Madison pulled Emma forward, running to the door leading into the rest of the Fenway Park interior. They ran down the hallway, listening to the battle happening behind them.

  

  “Please let her be okay,” Madison was muttering to herself. “Please, please let her be alright.”

  

  “Madison,” Emma panted. “Where are we going?”

  

  “Out,” her daughter simply replied. “I’m getting you to safety, and then I’m going back to help Cara.”

  

  “What?” Emma exclaimed. “No! Maddie, it’s too dangerous, you could die!”

  

  “I _won’t die_ ,” Madison snapped. They were at the staircase now, pounding down the steps. “I have Godzilla to help me, and my powers, and-”

  

  “Your _powers_?” Emma yelled. “What powers? Since when do you have powers?”

  

  “I’m the Bonded of Godzilla, mom!” Madison swung open the door they arrived to. Outside, the sky was alit with lightning and booming thunder. “I just found out today!”

  

  “Your-Your _what_?” Emma cried.

  

  They were in the parking lot now, at the truck Emma had stolen from Jonah. Madison opened the driver’s seat door and shoved her in. “Go,” she said. “Drive as fast and as far away as possible. I’ll find you after we finish this.”

  

  Emma reached for her. “Madison-”

  

  “Go, mom.” Madison gave her a brave smile; it was a smile she had carried with her throughout her entire life. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

 

  And then, her daughter shut the car door and turned away. Emma watched as she took a few steps back, closed her eyes, and began to glow. A bright white flash temporarily hindered her vision, and suddenly Godzilla was there, towering over them with majestic stature.

  

  Emma could not believe her eyes.

  

  Her daughter was a Bonded. No, _the_ Bonded. The Bonded of the king of the monsters.

  

  A feeling bubbled up in her chest. It wasn’t fear or worry, two very strong emotions that Emma always felt when she looked at her child. No, it was far from it.

  

  Emma felt proud. Proud to see her daughter being strong. Proud to be Madison’s mother.

  

  Godzilla looked down at Madison and emitted a questioning rumble. Madison nodded. “You go take him!” she yelled. “Show him what a king can do!”

  

  Godzilla grinned. He looked forward and took off, each step he took making the ground shake. Madison watched him go, then ran off back to Fenway Park, going back inside to aid Cara.

  

  Emma breathed heavily, for a moment frozen in awestruck at what she had just witnessed. She shakily turned the truck’s ignition key, the vehicle sputtering to life.

  

  “Long live the king,” she murmured, as she heard Godzilla’s bellowing roar.

  

  

 

  

  

  

  

  

  


	24. Clash of the Titans

  The storm in front of him roared with thunder, so intense and ferocious that he had to squint to see. Godzilla braced himself against the unnatural onslaught, keeping his tail straight and his stance wide. He flexed his claws and felt his atomic fire thrum inside of him, more powerful than it ever had been. The energy Madison had lent him gave him a boost of radiation; he could detect the change in him, how he felt stronger, faster, more ready than ever to tackle and take down any threat standing in his way. Ghidorah wouldn’t escape him again. This time, he would finish this, once and for all.

  

  The wind suddenly intensified, and Godzilla turned his head slightly against it. From above, Ghidorah descended, landing gracefully with his wings extended. Buildings went toppling, dust and other earthy matter rising up from the fallen structures.

  

  So much for preserving the city, then.

  

 _“GHIDORAH!”_ Godzilla yelled.

  

  The alpha Titan regarded him with glittering ruby eyes. San smirked, his tongue flicking in and out between his teeth. **_“Greetings, Bluefire! To what do we owe the pleasure?”_**

_“As you can see, I am not dead!”_ Godzilla answered. _“And I have come to retake my throne!”_

  Ichi laughed, shaking his head. **_“We deny your challenge,”_** he said. **_“This world belongs to us, now. We command every Titan on Earth. Kneel, and we just might show you mercy.”_ **

****

  Godzilla’s dorsal plates blazed. His atomic fire licked impatiently at his throat, begging him to release it and decimate the alien entity in front of him. _“I will perish before I kneel to a false king!”_ he snarled. _“You do not belong here, and you never will! I am giving you one last chance! Give me back my crown, or die!”_

  The three heads all whispered to each other, contemplating his threat. Godzilla hissed and gritted his teeth, lashing his tail with anger.

  

  He didn’t want to kill Ghidorah without giving him the option of a peaceful solution, for risk of putting Madison, Cara, and their human allies in danger. It wouldn’t be the most satisfying conclusion, but if it guaranteed that there would be as little human casualties as possible, than it was something Godzilla could live with.

  

 **_“We have decided,”_** Ichi declared importantly.

  

 _“Well then?”_ Godzilla questioned.

  

  It was Ni who answered, and not in the way Godzilla wanted. The scarred head sent a strong gravity beam blast straight at his head. But Godzilla was ready, and he lowered and ducked, the attack missing him and hitting a cluster of buildings instead.

  

 _“You know what?”_ His fire built up in his chest. _“Screw diplomacy. I’m just going to kill you.”_

  Ghidorah bared his teeth. **_“You can try, you pathetic fool! Come at us! Let us see who is truly fit to take the throne!”_ **

****

  Godzilla roared and charged at his rival. The three-headed dragon leapt off of the pile of rubble he had created and lunged for him, their trio of screeches raising into the sky.

  

  The two gigantic beings collided, and the fight for Earth began.

                                                                                                      —————

  

  Cara was struggling to keep herself from being fried by Jack.

  

  It was clear that he had been practicing with his powers more than she had.

  

  She was mostly blocking his attacks with energy shields, sweat trickling down her cheeks from the strain of her god rays. She wasn’t used to using her powers at this kind of level, and she could feel herself buckling under the weight of the exhaustion that was slowly creeping into her.

  

  God, if only she had Mothra with her, than she’d maybe have a chance! But she had separated with her Titan earlier, agreeing that she’d give Godzilla some aerial aid against Ghidorah. She could only hope that Madison came back to help her.

  

  “We did everything together!” Jack yelled. He sent a round of gravity beams at her. Cara threw up another light shield. “We’re twins! I loved you! But you _betrayed_ me!”

  

  “That’s not true!” Cara yelled back. “I’d never betray you, Jack! Ghidorah’s lying! I didn’t leave you for Madison!”

  

  “Than why do you care about her so much, huh?” Jack blasted electricity at her. Cara cried out when the force of it sent her sprawling backwards. “Why are you always with each other? _Why do you love her, and you don’t love me_?”

  

  He grabbed her ankle, yanking her forward and digging his nails into her skin. Cara screamed as a burning pain seared through her leg, white and hot like fire. A charcoal-like odor quickly followed.

  

  “Ghidorah opened my eyes,” Jack said. “He showed me who I really am. All my life, I’ve known that I’ve had a bigger purpose in the world than to play football and get good grades. I now know my destiny. What I’m really here to do.”

  

  “J-Jack, please,” Cara whimpered.

  

  “No,” Jack said. “I’m not showing you any mercy. This is a battle we’re doomed to repeat in every new life. Maybe next time, you’ll be strong enough to win.”

  

  “GET AWAY FROM HER!”

  

  Jack jerked his head to the right, and let out a surprised grunt when Madison threw herself into him. The two kids went tumbling to the floor. Cara sat up, hissing air through her teeth when her ankle throbbed. Jack had scorched through her skin, leaving a large patch of exposed tissue that was so grotesque to look at she wanted to vomit.

  

  It was bad, she could see, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t fix. Cara placed her hand over the mangled section of skin, closing her eyes so she wouldn’t have to look at the charred, red flesh. She called up her powers and directed them to her palm, feeling that familiar warmth course through her fingers. Her wound went numb, and when she opened her eyes, it was completely healed.

  

  She’d have to thank Mothra for teaching her that trick later. Right now, Madison needed her help.

  

  She got to her feet and ran over to the two fighting teenagers. Jack was on top of Madison, doing a decent job of keeping her down and unable to fight back. Cara body slammed him, wrapping her arms around his waist and using all of her strength to haul him off of Madison and fling him away from them both.

  

  Madison looked dazed, but noticeably unharmed. Cara stood over her, concerned.

  

  “Are you okay?” she asked her breathlessly.

  

  “Y-Yeah,” Madison replied. “I’m fine. You?”

  

  “Never been better,” she panted. “I’m having a great time.”

  

  She helped her friend up. The two girls faced Jack. Cara felt her arms humming with power; Jack was proving that he truly wanted her dead. She wouldn’t hold back anymore. If he wanted a fight, she’d give him a fight. It was time to show him what she could really do.

  

  “You can’t stop me,” her brother spat. “There’s no point in throwing me around like a rag doll. I’m more powerful than both of you combined. I’ll kill you both, and then no one will be able to stop Ghidorah and me from-!”

  

_THUNK!_

  

  Jack froze, his eyes widening. In slow motion, he crumpled to the floor.

  

  Behind him stood Noah and Eddie, the taller boy holding a baseball bat over Jack’s limp form.

  

  “Holy shit!” Noah laughed. “I just did that!”

  

  “What are you two doing here?” Cara cried.

  

  “Uh, _helping_ you? Didn’t I just knock out your brother?” Noah looked down at Jack, then gasped. “Holy shit, it’s your _brother_!”

  

  “But-But Ghidorah killed him!” Eddie said. “He _can’t_ be here! Is he a zombie? Oh god, can Ghidorah turn people into zombies?”

  

  “No, he’s not a zombie,” Cara corrected. She walked hesitantly over to Jack and knelt down, placing a hand on his back. He was breathing, thank god, but it was rather shallow, which meant he would be awake at any moment. “He’s Ghidorah’s Bonded. That fucking dragon convinced him that we abandoned him in Antarctica, so now he’s trying to kill us.”

  

  “But that makes no sense,” Eddie said. “How can he be the Bonded of something evil if your the Bonded of something good? You guys are twins.”

  

  “I know. But Ghidorah was binded to him for a reason. Probably because they’re so much alike.” Her heart ached at the words; she loved Jack, loved him with all of her heart, but she knew deep down that things were never going to be the same between them again. They were enemies-that was what fate had planned for them. Cara was going to have to live with the knowledge, whether she wanted to or not.

  

  A loud roar from outside got their attention. The four kids ran out onto the roof, and were greeted with absolute desolation.

  

  Boston was barely recognizable. The superstorm above them cast everything in a deep black shadow, and rain poured down in a violent rush. Everywhere, buildings were destroyed, and the few that remained standing looked as if they would collapse with the slightest touch.

  

  Godzilla and Ghidorah were not far away. They were battling it out with savage intent, and Cara’s hopes darkened when she realized that Ghidorah had the advantage. Godzilla grabbed San and pounded him into the ground, and Ni coiled around him and bit into his shoulder. Godzilla howled, going to claw at Ni’s snout, but Ichi clamped down on his neck, while San managed to wriggle free and grab his other shoulder. Ghidorah flapped, slightly raising Godzilla off the ground, and then smashed him down, dragging him forward through the rubble.

  

  “He needs help,” Cara said.

  

  “We’re too far away to get to him,” Madison pointed out with despair.

  

  A feeling quivered in the back of her mind, and in her ears, a familiar voice spoke. _“Do not worry, my child_. _Our king is not alone.”_

  The clouds shone with light, and Mothra dove into the scene, a bright blur of hope in a time of darkness. She struck into Ghidorah’s back, her blade-like forelegs tearing into his scales and skin. Ghidorah roared in pain, and he let Godzilla go, all three heads arching back to repel their attacker. Mothra was too fast, though, and she darted away, blood dripping from her blades as her wings illuminated a bright red and she let out a warbling battle cry.

  

  Ghidorah hissed, raising his wings to follow. But then explosions erupted around the great dragon, and he keened out in agony. Cara smiled when she saw the Argo soar over the Titan’s head, a mini fleet of fighter jets following. They weren’t alone in this; Monarch had their backs.

  

  “Quick, let's go down and help!” Noah said. He started back for the door, but Cara quickly stopped him.

  

  “We need a plan, first!” she said to him. “We can’t just go down there and go crazy! Plus, you and Eddie aren’t Bondeds. If you get killed, your not coming back!”

  

  “Shit, that’s right.” Noah raised his baseball bat and examined it. “Pretty sure this won’t do anything to Ghidorah.”

  

  “Where’d you even get that?” Madison asked.

  

  Noah shrugged. “I found it.”

  

  “Madison, did you mom take the ORCA with her?” Cara said.

  

  Madison gasped. “She didn’t!” She ran back into the announcement room and came back out with the ORCA in her arms. “Shit, if anything were to happen to this, she’d kill me!”

  

  “Perfect.” Cara looked out at the city and raised her hand. With one big pulse, she sent a giant god ray straight into the sky, followed by two smaller ones. “That should get Monarch’s attention. I have an idea.”

  

  Surely enough, not long after, an Osprey heliplane was touching down in the Fenway parking lot. Cara and her friends hurried over to it, running as fast as they could through the deluge Ghidorah’s storm was causing.

  

  They were greeted by a familiar face. Sergeant Barnes was waiting for them, flanked by a bunch of soldiers who were watching the battling Titans with terrified unease.

  

  “What are you kids _doing_ out here?” Barnes yelled.

  

  “Trying to save the world!” Cara yelled back.

  

  “Get inside!” He waved them toward the Osprey. “We’ll talk more when we’re safe!”

  

  “Eddie, Noah, go!” Cara pushed her friends toward Barnes. “Get the ORCA somewhere safe!”

  

  “What about you and Madison?” Eddie asked.

  

  “We’re going to go help.” Cara looked to Madison for confirmation. The other girl gave her a diligent nod. “Godzilla and Mothra need us! We’ll meet up when this is over!”

  

  Noah and Eddie looked worried. “But-!”

  

  “Go!” Cara waved at them. “We’ll be fine, I promise! Find us after the battle!”

  

  They were obviously hesitant, but they finally complied. Eddie and Noah ran into the Osprey, both of them stealing final glances at her as they did. They would be alright. She prayed that they would be alright.

  

  “Good luck!” Barnes said. “Knock that three-headed freak dead!”

  

  The Osprey’s back closed, and then it lifted off. It disappeared into the sky, the clouds swallowing it whole.

  

  Cara looked to Madison. “You ready?” she asked.

  

  Madison grinned. Her eyes glinted blue. “Let’s do this shit.”

  

  Together, they ran off into the battle, not looking back.

                                                                                        ------------

  

  Mothra circled around Ghidorah and Godzilla, watching for the perfect moment to strike. The injuries she had inflicted upon the false king had already healed, but it had proven that the accursed hydra wasn’t invincible. If only Godzilla could get him down, than she would have the opportunity to help…

  

  An idea suddenly hit her. She warbled out to Godzilla, flashing her wings in short spurts. Their eyes met, and he looked momentarily confused, before realizing what she was signaling him to do.

  

  His dorsal plates lit up, and he let forth his fire, the steady stream connecting squarely with Ghidorah’s chest. Their enemy squawked, taken aback by the unexpected attack, flailing backwards into a building.

  

  Now was her moment. Mothra tucked her wings and dived, swooping straight for Ghidorah. She opened her mouth and spat out a bundle of silk, right at the dragon’s three heads.

  

  The silk stuck them to the building, leaving them immobile. Mothra screeched, heading back up into the sky.

  

  She saw Ni manage to pull himself out of the silk, the right head grimacing as he did so. Ichi snarled at him, wriggling furiously. **_“Get us out of these webs!”_ **

****

**_“Don’t shout at me!”_** Ni snapped. He didn’t bother to hide his anger as he went to rip the silk away. **_“San should have been watching for the insect!”_ **

****

**_“Mrfphulmulperfrph!”_** San mumbled indignantly through the sticky substance.

  

  Something in the reflection of the building caught Ni’s eye. He turned, just in time to see Godzilla running straight for them. **_“Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”_ **

****

  Godzilla plowed into him. The building collapsed. Ghidorah fell, momentarily stunned from the impact.

  

  Godzilla stood over them. To the puzzlement of Ghidorah, he stepped back.

  

  Now, it was Mothra’s turn.

  

  She once again dived, raising her forelegs as she descended. One swift move, and she’d pierce Ghidorah’s heart.

  

  Beside her, the clouds crackled red.

  

  Something barreled into her and knocked her off course.

  

  Not something. Someone.

  

  Rodan faced her with a mixed expression of regret and guilt. He hadn’t attacked her-only thrown himself into her way-but it was still an act of prevention from allowing her to finish Ghidorah off, and she was shocked to see her friend work against her.

  

 _“Rodan!”_ Mothra trilled. _“What are you doing?”_

_“Mothra, please-”_ The Firebird begged desperately. _“-please get out of here. I do not want to hurt you. If you leave now, your life will be spared.”_

  Mothra didn’t know exactly how to reply at first. She had known Rodan since he was a chick. His loyalty to his friends was undying, rigorously firm. To find him working _against_ her, to protect a tyrant that threatened all life on Earth, was something her mind just couldn’t wrap around.

  

  She didn’t show it, though, and instead stood her ground. _“I do not wish to fight you, my friend,”_ she said. _“But if I have to, I will.”_

_“Mothra, please go!”_ Rodan flapped his wings at her. _“You do not understand the danger you are putting yourself in if you stay here! He will kill you if you fight on the opposing side!”_

_“I do not fear death, Rodan,”_ Mothra said evenly. _“And neither should you. You know we always come back.”_

_“That doesn’t stop the experience from hurting!”_ Rodan countered. She noticed for the first time that there were scars running down his stomach, as well as bite marks on his neck and wings. _“I hate Ghidorah just as much as you do, but I am telling you, he will destroy you and everything you hold dear! Please, just leave!”_

_“We cannot lose faith in our king.”_

_“Ghidorah is our king!”_

_“No, he is not.”_ Mothra pointed down to Godzilla and Ghidorah. _“Look at Godzilla, Rodan. Look how hard he is fighting for us. He is our true king, the one all Titans should follow. Do not give in to Ghidorah’s self-proclaimed supremacy. Stand with us, and fight for the world.”_

  Rodan looked unsurely at Ghidorah, his talons opening and closing repeatedly. Mothra inched closer to him, reaching out to tentatively touch his shoulder.

  

  A beam of blue light abruptly blasted into Rodan’s side. He shrieked, wingbeats faltering as the god ray singhed his scales. He whipped his head down to stare at the small figure standing not too far below.

  

  “Mothra!” Cara screamed fearfully. She was afraid for Mothra’s life-she could sense it through their psychic link. She didn’t know that Rodan wasn’t truly loyal to Ghidorah, didn’t know that he was really on their side. She just wanted to protect her Titan. Mothra appreciated that.

  

  But Rodan didn’t. His eyes narrowed as he let out a furious screech. He was going to go after Cara; Mothra could see it, as clear as day. She couldn’t allow him to hurt her.

  

 _“Rodan, don’t!”_ she cried. _“She is my Bonded! She was just trying to protect me!”_

  Rodan paused, staring at her. _“Bonded? You never told me you found your Bonded.”_

_“There hasn’t been time to.”_ She flew past him, heading for Godzilla and Ghidorah. _“Come, my friend! Let us aid our king together!”_

  She could feel Cara’s confusion at seeing her conversing with the enemy, and she sent her soothing reassurances, telling her that Rodan meant no harm. The confusion remained a moment longer, then formed into reluctant acceptance. Mothra made a mental note to introduce Rodan to her human after this was all over.

  

  Behind her, Rodan followed, no longer hesitant. He despised Ghidorah with his entire being; now that his king and queen were here to protect him, he could finally fight back against the tyrant’s abuse.

  

  It was time to show everyone what the fire demon could really do.

                                                                                                         —————

  

  Cara watched Mothra and Rodan fly to aid Godzilla. She didn’t know why Rodan was considered a friend, since he had literally just prevented Mothra from killing Ghidorah. But she knew to trust what Mothra did, so she dismissed her skepticism and turned to find Madison instead.

  

  Before she could shout her friend’s name, however, she felt something hot and burning strike her back. Cara flew forward, falling face-first into the ground.

  

  She knew who was behind her, and was back on her feet in a flash.

  

  Jack’s eyes were filled with crazed fury as he stalked toward her. His entire body hummed with power, electricity emanating from his arms and eyes.

  

  Cara took steps back. “Jack, it doesn’t have to be like this,” she said.

  

  “Yes, it does,” he glowered.

  

  “I don’t want to fight you. Your my brother.”

  

  He laughed and leered at her. “Does it look like I care if we’re related? Because news flash, I don’t! I would rather watch the world _burn_ than let you live! Your nothing but a disappointment, a stupid fucking loser that can’t do anything right! _No one_ will miss you when your gone! Your _useless_!”

  

  Anger simmered in Cara’s gut. She was done trying to get through to Jack. Whether she liked it or not, this was going to end in a battle.

  

  “Time to kill you,” Jack said.

  

  “I’d like to see you try,” Cara said back.

  

  He roared, charging at her. The two of them went at it, doing everything they could to subdue each other. Cara kept an eye out for Madison the entire time, silently begging her to come back from wherever she had gone and help her out. Jack was strong, and two Bondeds were always better than one.

  

  As if she had heard her thoughts, Madison came running toward them from where Godzilla and Ghidorah were fighting. Cara’s spirits heightened, and she kicked Jack squarely in the groin to hinder him, sending him doubling over in pain.

  

  “Cara, get down!” Madison cried to her. “I’ll finish him off!”

  

  “What are you going to do?” Cara yelled.

  

  “Something that’s probably going to hurt really bad!” Madison halted about 10 feet back. “Get out of my range!”

  

  Cara obeyed and jumped to the side. Jack, who finally recovered, looked at Madison.

  

  “Well look who’s here!” he laughed. “My sister’s girlfriend has come to save the day! What’s the matter, Maddie, didn’t get enough pain?”

  

  Madison didn’t reply. She stood up straight and arched her back.

 

  “Uh, Madison?” Cara said. “What are you doing?”

  

  “Yeah, Madison, what are you doing?” Jack laughed again, though there was an anxious edge to his voice. He was eyeing Madison as if she were about to explode. “What’s your super secret weapon? I’m dying to see it.”

  

  Cara immediately noticed there was something about Madison that was changing. The other girl seemed to swell, appearing much taller than she already was. Her eyes turned blue, and what appeared to be thin tendrils of azure smoke began wafting out from the corners of her mouth.

  

  Something about this was vaguely familiar.

  

  Cara knew where she had seen this display before.

  

  Madison opened her mouth and let forth a powerful stream of atomic fire, not as big or devastating as Godzilla’s, of course, but still packing quite a punch. Jack’s face fell slack in dumbfounded horror, and he threw himself out of the way, barely evading Madison’s attack.

  

  The atomic fire diminished. Madison shrank back down to her normal size and broke into a mad coughing fit.

  

  “I...don’t think I can do that more than once a day,” she croaked.

  

  “I’ve...had enough of this!” Jack bellowed. He leapt at Cara and floored her, causing him to fall on top of her. “I’m done with you two fighting back! This ends _now_!”

  

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Madison rush forward to rescue her. Jack bent forward and closed his eyes. His body grew warm, and some sort of gravity beam shockwave erupted out of him. Madison was sent cannonballing backwards, far enough that she wouldn’t be able to get back to Cara before Jack killed her.

  

  “This ends now,” he hissed into her ear. “Say goodbye to the world as you know it. When you come back, it’ll be ruled by Ghidorah and I.”

  

  His right hand turned yellow, and he went to grab her neck. Cara blocked it at the last moment, using all of her strength to push her brother’s arm back.

  

  He was stronger, though, and her resistance slowly began to give out. His hand inches closer and closer to her throat, fingers twitching with anticipation. The smile on Jack’s face was manic, triumphant, filled with glee.

  

  Cara brought her arm back and charged it with god ray energy, as much as she could handle before it began to hurt. She threw her fist forward and punched Jack in the stomach, as hard as she could.

  

  Light erupted from the impact with a _thoom_. Jack careened backwards at an incredible rate.

  

  She lay there for a moment, catching her breath. Her arm ached after channeling so much energy into it, but she didn’t pay it any mind. Cara got up and ran to Madison. She was eagle-spread on her back, eyes closed.

  

  “Maddie,” Cara said. She shook her shoulders. “Madison, you alright?”

  

  “Mmph,” the other girl replied. Her eyes blinked open.

  

  “Wha-What happened?” she slurred.

  

  Cara smiled in relief to see that Madison was okay. She stuck out her hand. “Come on, I think I finally managed to knock Jack out. We can help Mothra and Godzilla.”

  

  “Well, that’s nice to hear.” Madison took Cara’s hand and gave her a grateful nod. “Ooorgh, that shit _hurt_. Is everything still in place? God, my throat burns.”

  

  “How did you do that?” Cara asked. “You...literally breathed fire!”

  

  “Godzilla showed me,” Madison answered. “While he was fighting, he gave me some of his strength...I don’t know how, but it was just instinct from there.”

  

  “Well it was awesome. I hope you’ll be able to do it again.”

  

  Madison rubbed her throat. “Me too. Not for a while, though. I don’t feel like having my skin melt.”

  

  The ground shook. Cara and Madison stumbled back when a giant golden foot stamped down just five feet away from them. Ghidorah screeched when he flailed backwards, and Godzilla roared as he dug his claws into the great dragon’s shoulders.

  

 _“I could use some help, over here!”_ he yelled down to them.

  

  Cara responded with a god ray to Ichi’s neck. The middle head screamed, and then focused on her. He bared his teeth at her angrily.

  

 **_“I should have killed you when I had the chance, bug,”_** he growled.

  

  Cara shrugged sarcastically. “But you didn’t!”

  

  Ichi dove for her, jaws open to bite her in half. He didn’t get the chance, however, because Rodan suddenly swooped down and attacked him, clawing and biting at him with violent precision. Ichi roared out in rage, rearing upward and attempting to shake the other Titan off. **_“GET HIM OFF OF ME YOU IDIOTS!”_ **

****

  San remained still, watching Rodan and Ichi with uncertainty. It was Ni who took action and ripped into Rodan’s wing. The Firebird was torn off of Ichi and slammed into the ground, hard.

  

 **_“Treacherous little bird!”_** Ni snarled through his teeth. **_“How dare you go against us? You’ll die for this!”_ **

****

  Rodan smiled, though it was clear he was in great pain. _“I am not your slave,”_ he said. _“I was a coward for submitting to you. If you kill me, at least I will go down knowing what I did was right.”_ He coughed and spat up blood. _“I will see you in the depths of Titanfall, false king.”_

  Ni quivered with uncontrollable rage. With one swift motion, he grabbed the joint of Rodan’s wing and twisted it with a sickening _crack_.

  

  Rodan screamed.

  

 **_“You are going nowhere, slave,”_** Ni said menacingly. **_“And neither are we. I said your death would carry out for days if you defied us. And I always stick to my word.”_ **

****

_“Get away from him you demon!”_ Godzilla grabbed Ghidorah and heaved him away from Rodan. Ni and San snapped at him, but Cara sent a god ray at each of them to hold them off from doing so.

  

  Rodan dragged himself away from the battle, his broken wing hanging limply at his side. He made eye contact with Cara.

  

 _“Kill him for me,”_ he whispered. _“Kill him for our king.”_

  

  Cara watched Ghidorah and Godzilla fight.

  

  Mothra flew above them, wings blazing gloriously.

  

  “Cara?” Madison asked. “What do we do?”

  

  She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, feeling her neck and arms tingle.

  

  It was time to end this. Once and for all.

  

  Cara directed as much energy as possible into her hands. She stepped back and raised her arms. “Hey, Ghidorah!” she yelled.

  

  Ichi, Ni, and San looked down at her. She smiled. “Sayonara!”

  

  She released the biggest pair of god rays she had ever manifested.

  

  The three heads all simultaneously responded with gravity beams. The two forces met, both attempting to overcome the other. Cara leaned her entire weight into her god rays, feeling herself begin to falter from the sheer intensity of Ghidorah’s attack.

  

  Someone stepped up beside her.

  

  Madison breathed out another jet of atomic fire. It mingled with Cara’s god rays, strengthening them.

  

 _“Your not alone in this, my child,”_ Mothra trilled.

  

  The divine moth raised her wings. Three more giant god rays joined in.

  

  Godzilla puffed out his chest and sent out atomic fire as well.

  

  The combined forces of the god rays and atomic fire quickly overcame Ghidorah. His gravity beams were completely consumed, and then, were upon the dragon himself.

  

  She couldn’t see through the light, but she heard the three heads scream.

  

  The world lit up as the joined attacks of Godzilla, Mothra, and their Bondeds reached Ghidorah and flooded over him, the flash of light enveloping the entire city in its luminous splendor.

  

****

  

   

  

             

****

****

  

  


	25. King of the Monsters

  When the light subsided and she could clearly see, Cara was surprised to find that she and Madison were unharmed. They coughed, waving away the smoke and dust, grit sticking to them like glue. She was going to need a major shower when she got home. _If_ she got home.

  

  “Is it over?” Madison asked. “Is-Is he dead?”

  

 _“Only one way to find out,”_ Godzilla responded. He moved forward. _“Come on.”_

  They followed him into the cloud of debris. Cara heard Mothra land lightly behind her, and she fell back to step in line beside her Titan, comforted by her presence.

  

  If Boston has been destroyed before, it was completely decimated by now. Cara could see nothing but destruction; the added darkness from the clouds above made the area look like something out of an apocalyptic nightmare.

  

  She noticed that it had stopped raining and thundering.

  

  Perhaps that was a good sign?

  

  Godzilla suddenly halted, growling a warning out to them. Cara held her breath, heart pounding at her ribcage.

  

  Something lurched in front of them, stumbling into their line of view. Cackling laughter echoed as the maimed form of Ghidorah dragged himself forward, and then promptly collapsed. Looking at him now, he was barely recognizable; scales that had once gleamed like a golden sun were now a charred bronze color. His wings had been reduced to long spindly fingers, the membranes nothing more than tattered strips. Blood oozed from the two stumps where Ni and San had been. They were gone, burnt away, and only Ichi remained.

  

 **_“L-Look at what you’ve done,”_ ** Ichi said weakly. He was still laughing, a mad smile on his face. **_“You-You’ve killed them. My brothers-my dear, dear brothers...Jack...they are gone.”_ **

****

_“And that leaves you,”_ Godzilla calmly said. _“You, who must pay for the crimes you’ve committed against our world.”_

**_“Crimes?”_ ** Ichi chuckled. **_“What crimes? Is it a crime to prove that we are strong? That we aren’t the pathetic disappointment our father branded us as? We-We just wanted validation. We were angry...so very, very angry…”_ **

****

_“And look where your anger got you.”_ Godzilla swept his arm out to gesture to the destroyed city. _“You have caused countless lives to be lost. You killed for the fun of it, and actively displayed it across the world. You murdered my father and mother. You murdered my Bonded.”_

**_“That was a long time ago…”_ **Ichi murmured.

  

_“It doesn’t matter if it was a long time ago. You did it. You and your brothers chose this path. You made your decision. Now live with it.”_

  Ichi bared his teeth in defiance, sunken eyes still managing to spark with rage. **_“This is not over. You will never be safe from us. When we return...and we will...we are going to end you. We are going to end your friends. And then, we are going to end_ ** **everyone** ** _.”_ **

****

  “You can try,” Cara said to him. “You can come back a million times, and we’ll always be waiting. We will stop you, in the next life, the life after that, and all of the lives to come.”

  

  Ichi blinked at her, then laughed. **_“Look at you, bug. Your all grown up. Defending the earth, protecting those who you_ ** **think** **_matter. It is amusing, to see how you believe you can_ ** **ever** **_stop me.”_ ** He smiled at her, and for a moment, there was a sadness to him, a lonely, feeble image of someone who could have been so capable of doing good, but chose to do evil, instead. **_“I will see you again, Cara Walker. We are certainly looking forward to it.”_ **

****

  And then there was a _CRUNCH_ , the sound of teeth tearing through skin and muscle. Ichi’s eyes widened as blood began to dribble out of his mouth. His body spasmed out slightly, a small howl of pain escaping from his throat.

  

  Godzilla had his entire snout buried into Ichi’s chest. He was tugging at something, eyes firmly squeezed shut as he did so, then ripped whatever he had on his jaws out into the open, blood splattering everywhere.

  

  Mothra’s wing swooped over them, shielding Cara and Madison from the stray blood.

  

  Ichi went limp, his head lolling to the side, mouth open in a silent, agonized scream.

  

  Godzilla spat the alien dragon’s heart out onto the ground, as far away from them as possible.

  

  “Jesus Christ,” Madison whispered.

  

 _“I’m sorry you two had to see that,”_ Godzilla said. He shook his head, wiping some of Ghidorah’s blood off of his snout. _“Gods, I did not enjoy that. Agh, so much blood.”_

_“Perhaps next time you can handle that in a less...gruesome manner,”_ Mothra offered.

  

 _“Yes. I think you are right.”_ Godzilla sighed wearily, his shoulders slumped in exhaustion.

  

  “Uh oh,” Madison said.

  

  “What is it?” Cara asked.

  

  She pointed behind them. Cara turned and stared.

  

  Jack was walking stiffly toward them. He was a mess; clothes in tatters, hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot and tired.

  

  Cara raised her fist, in case he decided to attack.

  

  “Don’t bother,” he said. There was no emotion in his tone. “My powers are gone. They left with Ghidorah. I don’t have them anymore.”

  

  Cara relaxed. She gave her brother a hard glare. “You know what’s going to happen.”

  

  He shrugged. “Does it look like I care?”

  

  “Monarch’s going to arrest you-do you realize that? What you’ve done…you tried destroying the _world_. Do you realize how serious that is?”

  

  “It’s what I was born to do,” he replied. “I don’t regret embracing who I really am.”

  

  Cara shook her head-why was getting through to him so hard? “Jack-”

  

  “I guess your going to kill me now, aren’t you?” He chuckled. “Go ahead. I’m ready. I rather be with my Titan in death than be separated from him in life.”

  

 _“Killing him is the best option,”_ Godzilla said. _“You should not feel bad about it. He is just going to come back, anyway.”_

  “Right.” Jack spread his arms out. “So go ahead, then. Kill me. I’m ready.”

  

  “There is no need for that.”

  

  Cara brightened when she saw Mr. Serizawa, Dr. Chen, and Dr. Graham step into their circle, walking past Jack. She was overcome with relief that they were alright, and ran over to Dr. Chen, throwing herself into the woman’s arms.

  

  “I’m so glad you guys are safe,” she murmured into her shoulder.

  

  Dr. Chen hugged her tightly. “I am happy to see you guys are okay, as well. “You guys did it. You have saved the world.”

  

  “Is everyone else okay?” Madison asked.

  

  “Are Eddie and Noah alright?” Cara added.

  

  Dr. Chen nodded. “Yes. They are safe on the Argo. They can’t wait to see you guys.” She smiled.

  

  “And my mom?” Madison said. “Is she…?”

  

  Dr. Chen’s expression darkened. “She’s not with us, but we are confident she’s alive. We’ll find her. She has to be held accountable for what she’s done.”

  

  “As do you, young man.” Mr. Serizawa faced Jack.

  

  Jack huffed. “I don’t answer to you.”

  

 _“No, but you answer to_ me _,”_ Godzilla growled. He leaned forward, glaring at Jack. _“You_ will _listen to what these humans have to say, and you_ will _follow their orders. Do you understand?”_

  Jack gulped. He lowered his head so he wouldn’t have to make eye contact with Godzilla. “Whatever,” he muttered.

  

  “What are you going to do with him?” Cara asked.

  

  Mr. Serizawa looked at Dr. Graham. “We’ll wipe him,” he said. “Erase all memory of this ordeal. We can return him safely to your parents, and he won’t remember a thing.”

  

  “What?” Jack exclaimed. “I don’t want my memory wiped! I don’t want to forget Ghidorah!”

  

  “But you won’t be killed for what you have done,” Mr. Serizawa said. “Wouldn’t you rather live the rest of your life than die?”

  

  Jack looked at him. He looked at Godzilla, at Mothra, and then at Cara. He sighed. “I don’t have a choice, so I?”

  

 _“No, you do not,”_ Godzilla answered.

  

  “Whatever. Fine. Wipe my memory or some shit. I’ll remember Ghidorah in my next life.” He shook his head. “I’ll always be connected to him.”

  

  Mr. Serizawa took him by the arm, than began to lead him away. Jack turned to Cara.

  

  “Goodbye,” he said.

  

  Cara remained still. “Bye.”

  

  Mr. Serizawa walked away with her brother. Dr. Graham gave them all a smile, before following them.

  

  Dr. Chen have Cara one last hug. “We’ll be in the Argo,” she said. “Flag us down when your ready to leave.”

  

  Cara nodded. “We will. Thank you for everything, Dr. Chen.”

  

  She grinned. “No, Cara. Thank you.”

  

  They watched them go, until she was out of view. Cara looked at Madison and smiled. “We did it.”

  

  “We did.” The other girl smiled back.

  

  “We couldn’t have done it without you,” Cara said. “I’m so happy your here with me, Maddie. I’m glad we’re friends.”

  

  Was there a flicker of what looked to be disappointment in Madison’s eyes? She must have imagined it, because as soon as she thought she saw it, it was gone. “I’m glad we’re friends, too,” she said. “We’re best friends. Forever.”

  

  Cara nodded. “Forever.”

  

  A small chirp from Mothra pulled Cara’s attention to her. She walked over to her Titan and reached up, much like a child begging their mother to pull them into their arms. Mothra leaned forward, a smile in her eyes.

  

  Cara rested her forehead against Mothra’s snout, closing her eyes as she drank in the divine creature’s warm scent. No words had to be uttered between them; through their psychic link, enough was said. Multiple feelings-gratitude, relief, joy, and, the strongest, love. Love for each other. Love for what they were: connected.

  

  “Look,” Madison whispered, voice high with wonder.

  

  Cara and Mothra followed her gaze. The dust had cleared and the clouds were gone, the rays of the sun bathing the four of them in its light. And all around them, coming from four different directions, the Titans Ghidorah had awoken could be seen.

  

  They circled them, each one still and quiet. A strange spider-like creature, a hybrid of what looked to be an elephant and a gorilla, a wingless dragon with a mountain growing from its back, and a MUTO, one of the beasts that Godzilla had fought in 2014.

  

  Godzilla faced them, standing tall. None of them knew if these Titans were here to avenge Ghidorah’s death. Would they attack? Cara hoped not.

  

  And then Rodan limped forward, wincing with each step he took. He spread his good wing and bowed to Godzilla.

  

 _“My true king,”_ the Firebird said. _“I pledge myself to you.”_

  One by one, the other Titans followed suit. They bowed, repeating what Rodan had said. Even Mothra bowed, quietly warbling for Cara to kneel as well.

  

  Cara went on one knee, bowing her head. Madison did too, both of them saying, “My king, I pledge myself to you.”

  

  Godzilla looked at each one of them. He lifted his foot and placed it firmly on Ghidorah’s broken corpse. The sun reflected off of his scales, casting a halo around his head.

  

  “Long live the king,” Cara said, smiling up at him.

  

  Godzilla tilted his head back and let out a roar, one that rattled through the sky and shook the earth, proclaiming that balance had been restored.

  

  

  

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the story has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who has supported Bonded from the very beginning; I’m so grateful for all of the positive feedback, kudos, and comments you have given! This was such a fun story to write, and you guys gave me the inspiration and motivation I needed to complete it. I hope you all enjoyed Cara, Eddie, and Noah as much as I did, as well as Madison, Mothra, Godzilla, and all the other Monsterverse characters that were included in this adventure! They were so much fun to write, and I am definitely planning on revisiting them soon! Expect more stories, both in the Bonded universe and other fandoms-there is a lot more to come! I hope others will continue to read Bonded, and the other stories I have up my sleeve! Thank you all so, so much! Long live the king!


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